never letting go
by loves-Boy-Slash
Summary: Title: Never letting go Paring: Ennis/Jack Summary: Jack & Ennis are finnally taking that step towards happiness. This is the sequel to You were there
1. Chapter 1

Title: Never letting go  
Paring: Ennis/Jack  
Summary: Jack & Ennis are finally taking that step towards happiness. **This is the sequel to** **You were there**

Thanks goes to my wonderful beta **cyberling2205**

Ennis is lying on the bed waiting for Jack to come to bed after working all day on the house that they purchased five months ago at a very reasonable price. "Just needs a lil work," said the sales-person.

"Our house," thinks Jack as he is looking at the freshly painted front door. "Ennis, come out here and see if it's all right," Jack hollers down towards their bedroom.

Ennis hears Jack hollering to him to come take a look at the door that took Jack all day to paint and to just pick out a color. "Come look at a door".

"The choice of color can't be that bad," jokes Ennis while coming down the hall.

"Just get out here," Jack says a little aggravated with Ennis's teasing.

"Oh my! That is the ugliest color I've ever seen," teases Ennis with a little smirk.

"Oh, shut up. Who asked you?"

"You did," Ennis says. Jack just rolls his eyes while turned away looking up ahead at the drive-way with his arms crossed. Ennis places his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Oh, come on, I was just playing," Ennis says giving Jack a little nudge with his shoulder. When Jack still does not move Ennis turns back to the door. "It's a really nice color, Jack, I like it," Ennis says.

"Really?" Jack asks now with his head turned towards Ennis.

"Yes, anything you pick out, I'll love," Ennis whispers while holding Jack like that time long ago in front of the fire which seemed just like yesterday. "Sleeping on your feet like a horse," whispers Ennis.

"Don't ever leave me again," Jack pleads.

"I'll never let go of you Jack," Ennis whispers in Jack's ear while playing with Jack's coat collar.

"I love you," Ennis says.

"I love you more," jokes Jack with a laugh.

"No, I love you more," Ennis says playing along.

Ennis nudges Jack. "Come on, let's go inside the house it's getting cold outside," Ennis lies to get Jack to the bedroom for a lil' one-on-one ! "Poor cowboy is cold," winks Jack. "Well, I'm gonna have to do something about that, get you warmed up," says Jack while pushing Ennis towards their bedroom.

"Hmm, feels so good," Ennis moans while Jack nibbles on his ear and his hand is down Ennis's pants. "Gotta get these pants off, baby," Jack says while pulling Ennis pants down and off. Ennis begins to take his shirt off and throws it towards the bathroom floor while Jack also begins to undress. After a bit more kissing they finally make their way over to the bed.

~ Authors note: I've written 14 chapters to this story so far still isn't complete yet though

I'll be adding another chapter on here tomorrow maybe If I have the time BUT if you'd like to go ahead and read the 14 chapters I've already written then please go OVER TO MY Live Journal There you will find all the 14 chapters already posted and waiting to be read :)


	2. Chapter 2

Five months earlier

"Please don't, no!"

"Jack, Jack wake up," yells Ennis while shaking Jack to try to wake him up from his nightmare.

"Uh what?" Jack mumbles.

"You were having a nightmare and talking in your sleep," Ennis explains to Jack why he wakes him up.

"Oh," Jack says while rubbing his face with his hand.

"Wanna talk about it?" asks Ennis.

"No, just stay with me, okay?" Jack says.

"What if your parents…?"

"The hell with my parents. I need you Ennis," Jack yells.

"OK, but I have to go back to my own room," Ennis starts to say but then Jack cuts in by saying "Just go then if you can't be here with me when I need you, just go, just leave and never come back you whore son bitch," Jack yells.

Ennis just stands there with his head bowed low. He knows he doesn't want to leave Jack but if that's what Jack wants… plus he knows he'll never really be able to show affection or his love for Jack the way Jack wants him to. He just can't make that kind of thinking to go away about what people will say or do. But, hell, it did happen - even when they weren't together someone knew and someone tried to hurt his Jack and Ennis stopped it but even with that happening Ennis still feels like he can't stay here; that it ain't right for them to be together like this.

"I just wanna run away," thinks Ennis, "but no, I can't. I won't let Jack get hurt again even if people don't like it well the hell with them. I love him and I am gonna be with him," Ennis yells out loud.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" asks Jack a little confused.

"Was I talking out loud?" blushes Ennis.

Jack just nods his head dumbfounded. Ennis smirks.

"Are you gonna run away now or are you gonna just keep breaking my heart?"

"Jack I don't wanna break your heart 'cause that would break mine but you have to understand that I have been thinking this way all my life. It's gonna take some time and I'll admit that I wanna run away but I can't 'cause then I'll be running away from you and I just wanna be where you are…with you, only you…so just give me time but don't push me away 'cause I ain't going nowhere unless you're going with me," says Ennis.

"You mean that?" Jack says a lil' choked up.

"Every word," Ennis says now walking slowly towards Jack while teasingly stripping his clothes off.

"What about my parents?" asks Jack. Ennis grunts then states "They're asleep!"

Please leave a review, Sorry for anyone who was waiting for this to be updated just been busy :/


	3. Chapter 3

Please leave a review :) Thanks!

* * *

Jack lies in bed listening to Ennis's breathing knowing as soon as he wakes it'll be back to having the walls up and worrying about everybody else instead of himself and his feelings. Why can't you just listen to your heart Ennis just listen to your heart I just wanna be with you, Jack silently confesses.

Jack watches his love sleeping peacefully by his side.

All of a sudden, Jack hears his door creak. He looks but whoever it was disappeared as quick as they got there so Jack moves slowly and silently so as not to wake Ennis. He moves off the bed and grabs a pair of pants from off the ground. He looks down the hall "Mom…," Jack says. Mrs Twist turns around and looks at her only son. "Look mom, can we talk about what you saw in there?" Jack asks.

"What do you mean? You don't have to explain to me, dear, what I saw in there was," Mrs. Twist turns to her and her husband's bedroom door. "How about we go in the kitchen and talk?"

Jack just nods his head and stands aside for his mother to go first. Jack has a tight grip on his mother's arm while going down the dark stairs to help her 'cause her eyesight is not as great as it once was.

Once into the kitchen, Jack grabs a chair for his mother and waits for her to sit down and then grabs a seat for himself. "Mom, I can explain," Jack pleads.

"Will you let me finish what I was saying?"

"Oh, of course, go on, sorry," Jack says. Mrs Twist waits a few seconds to make sure Jack is finished speaking before saying what she wants to say. Jack just sits there waiting for his mother to speak what's on her mind. He hopes it won't be too hard for her to understand and to accept that he is in love with a man.

"What I saw in there was my son with his lover. I don't understand how this could happen but you really care about him and I know you do 'cause I heard what you said, and don't worry I won't tell your father. It's our little secret. I am just happy if you are happy. Are you?" Mrs Twist asks. Jack just sits there trying to focus on his mother but the tears that were welling up in his eyes are making it hard to see.

"Somewhat," Jack says.

"What do you mean?" Mrs Twist asks.

"Well, I love Ennis, mommy, I love him with all of my heart more than anything or anybody but we've been together for a long time a long time mommy and were has it gotten us? Lying to everyone, lying to ourselves… I don't want the world to know but I just want us to be together like any other couple. Am I just living on a stupid dream that will never come true? Should I just give up?" Jack says with tears flowing uncontrollably. Mrs Twist grabs a hold of her son's hand and pulls the chair closer to him. Jack puts his head on his mother's shoulder and sheds tears for all the broken dreams, hopes and promises throughout his meaningless life - meaningless until that fateful day in 1963.

Mrs Twist hums a lullaby to Jack as she rocks him in a gentle rhythm. "You shouldn't give up, sweetie. He loves you, you know he does."

While Jack rubs his face with his hand to wash away the remaining tears that are still on his face he says "I know he does, that's why he's here, that's why he stayed all night with me until he fell asleep. I know he loves me but I want more than just his love. I want him… I want to wake up in the morning with him by my side, I want to fall asleep in his arms at night. I love him so much but I don't think I can stand living like this anymore. My soul, my heart can't take it anymore. I've been rejected, abused all my life and I just want something good for a change. Can anybody be away from the love of their life even for a day? Well, try years. I've tried to hold on but I'm falling, mommy, I'm falling and the one person I want, can't get past his fears to be himself… to be with me," Jack says now once again crying in his mother's arms. Mrs Twist is stunned. She doesn't know what to say. She knows she hates to see her son in so much pain. She sees a shadow in the kitchen. She looks up and sees Ennis standing there with his shirt tucked in and his hat on and tears streaming down his face wetting the once clean shirt. Ennis notices Mrs Twist looking at him so he wipes his face with his shirt sleeve and takes his hat off and holds it in his shaking hands.

Jack notices that his mother has been looking at the same spot for a good long while. At the same time he hears crying and he knows it's not his mother or himself. He looks at his mother who turns and looks at him and smiles.

"I'm gonna go back to bed," she says while getting up. Jack gets up to help her upstairs. When he turns to go towards the living room he sees Ennis standing there.

"How long you've been there?" Jack asks.

"Long enough," states Ennis.

Mrs Twist stands between her son and the man that stole his heart and soul. She grabs Ennis's hand and then her son's and before she leaves to give them some privacy, she entwins the two hands together.

"What y'all have is love - don't waste it," Mrs Twist says. She pats Ennis and Jack's holding hands and slowly walks back to where her husband sleeps.

"You know I want it too, to wake up with you. Man, I would love that!" Ennis says.

"Then why won't you?" Jack asks while looking down at the cracks on the kitchen floor tiles.

"Because I'm scared. I don't want to hurt you or risk getting you hurt," Ennis confesses.

"I've already been hurt," Jack says.

"I know but what if I'm not there the next time someone tries something like that," Ennis says.

"I won't be alone if you just stay with me. Be with me Ennis. If you really care about me, you'll stay. How can you just leave me after everything that has happened? You saved my life, Ennis, you'll kill me now if you leave me. You said you needed time. Well, I'll give you all the time you need but just stay here with me, don't go back to Riverton, if you need me too. I won't even bother your here just stay where I can be near you. My mommy knows and she don't care. She's happy for us," Jack says trying to push back the tears. "What happened to last night when you said you weren't going anywhere… that you were staying? You are just gonna take that back? Well, you can't take back words you say. Please tell me you haven't changed your mind… that you are not leaving me, letting the fear win. Don't let the fear win, Ennis. You're my life, without you I can't breathe. Am I asking too much from you Ennis, huh? If you want this too then why are we still stuck living apart? Well, remember what happened. You beat that fear that day when you saved my life. I wouldn't be here now, if it weren't for you, Ennis," Jack says now crying again. Ennis stands there thinking back on that day… how his fears came alive that day when he stood up to them bastards with the tire iron and beat them to protect Jack.

"Jack, I did beat the fear, didn't I?" Ennis says with a smirk and tears falling down his face.

"You sure did, Cowboy," Jack says smiling a little through his tears. Jack moves over to where Ennis stands and asks Ennis to hold him. Ennis at first is a little hesitant for Jack's father might walk in but realises that he is letting fear control him again. So, he just nods his head "yes" and they stand there for a while rocking back and forth.

"Alright Jack, you win," Ennis says now letting Jack go to get a better look at the most handsome face he's ever seen.

"I win what?" Jack asks now wiping the tears from his face.

"I'll stay but we can't let anyone else find out just to be on the safe side 'cause not everyone is like your mother and I mean it.

"Yes sir", Jack jokes.

"I'm serious. I don't want anyone trying to hurt you. I was so scared Jack," Ennis says.

"You weren't the only one," Jack says shaking a little from the memory of it all.

"Well, I gotta get outside get to working like I promised your pa," Ennis says.

"Alright, see ya later" Jack says while slowly letting go of Ennis's hand.

-Ennis?  
-Yeah.  
-Promise me something.  
-What?  
-Promise me you won't let fear control your life any more.

Ennis stands stock still not sure what to say or do so he just walks back over to Jack and hugs him so tight that Jack has to tell him that he is hurting him.

"Oh sorry, bud, didn't mean to hurt you. I forgot you're still sore," Ennis says with the most sincere look that Jack has ever seen on Ennis's face.

They smile to each and off Ennis goes to start his day.

Jack watches Ennis go out the door and decides that he can still get a few minutes sleep before he really has to go out there and help. He knows that he has to be well rested or get all the rest he can. He's been up all night watching Ennis sleep, amazed that Ennis actually stayed with him all night in the same bed while Jack's parents were just down the hall. So with a yawn he starts heading upstairs whistling to himself but before he goes into his room he stops to say good morning to his mother who is just getting up for the day.

"Well good morning to you too, son." Jack has the biggest smile on his face and so does his mother.

"What the hell are you two all smiles about?" snorts Mr. Twist, "Get out in the hallway, boy, make some room for people who actually got things to do today," Mr. Twist shouts. Jack just steps aside and waits to hear the door slam, a sign that his father is now outside until he thanks his mother for her help last night. He tells her that he loves her. With watery eyes his mother says that it was her motherly job to help and that she loves him as well. They hug and she wipes the tears that were now falling down her son's face and says "Better get some sleep now, you look tired."

"Yes ma'm, Jack says now flopping down on the bed. He grabs Ennis's pillow and holds it and he peacefully drifts off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

I know with this chapter it don't seem like Jack and Ennis are ever gonna get their sweet life but don't worry I promise by the end of this story they will !

Two and a half hours later:

Ennis decides that Jack has had enough sleep and he should get up and help with the fence so he gets on his horse and gallops all the way until he gets within walking distance to the house then he swiftly jumps off the horse and nuzzles the horse's head while whispering soft words in the horse's ear. He leaves the horse to feed in the pasture. While going around the barn to get to the back door, Ennis all of a sudden hears a loud noise coming from inside the barn, so he rushes over and stands in the barn entrance to see what made the noise but he doesn't see anything - just an empty barn. He starts to walk away from the barn when he hears tons of cuss words coming from the hayloft. Ennis walks back in the barn and he looks up and guess who he sees - Mr. Twist himself with his shirt torn and looking all dishevelled with hay everywhere on him.

"He looks like a scarecrow," thinks Ennis trying hard not to laugh.

"What the hell are you staring at? Ain't you got stuff you should be doing?" snorts Mr. Twist.

"Yes, sir. I was just gonna get Jack to help me get it done faster."

"That boy still ain't got his ass up yet," Mr. Twist sneers while walking off. Ennis just stands there waiting until he no longer hears Mr. Twist's voice.

Probably talking bad about Jack. I wish I could say something but that didn't do no good last time and he would kick me out for sure, if I did it again. I can't let that happen not after my promise to Jack, thinks Ennis.

Before going inside, Ennis shakes his boots on the side of the porch so as not to track mud or grime in the house. He tips his hat to Mrs. Twist and asks if she's seen Jack up yet.

"No, he's still up there," says Mrs. Twist.

"If you don't mind, could you go up there and tell him to get his ass up and help me before the sun goes down?" Ennis asks.

Mrs. Twist wipes her hands on a towel that is hanging from her waist. "Would you like something to eat or drink, Ennis?"

"I don't think I should. Your husband ain't that happy as it is."

"You just let me worry about him alright and besides a man's gotta eat to keep his strength up right," Mrs. Twist says while getting bread and other things to make a sandwich with Ennis just standing there, afraid to move.

"You really are a shy one, ain't you?" says Mrs. Twist and grabs Ennis's hand and leads him towards the counter. "You can eat while I go try to get Jack up. It's alright," whispers Mrs. Twist trying to reassure Ennis that he doesn't have to ask to take a piss beforehand, "so you shouldn't be afraid to make yourself something to eat 'cause no one's gonna get mad over it. You're our quest," says Mrs. Twist and walks off to go wake Jack.

Ennis is just finishing the rest of his sandwich when Jack comes down the stairs and takes a seat at the table. Ennis tries not to stare but Jack has drops of water falling down his face and he is dripping wet. He's just out of a shower, his shirt is clinging tight on him and his wet skin is making it look like it is too small when really it is the right size.

"What are you thinking about, Ennis?" Jack asks with a little wink. Ennis just looks Jack up and down wishing the world would disappear 'cause he so badly wants to take Jack right here, right now on this table… on the kitchen counter … on the floor. Hell, with the way Jack looks right now he wants to do it all over this house and that includes the barn, but it surely won't be happening with Jack's parents here.

"Jack," Mrs. Twist says coming in from putting the laundry to dry.

"Yes, mama?" Jack asks.

"Your father wants to see ya," she says. Ennis goes past her to go outside. Jack stands and follows him once he finds out from his mother where Mr. Twist is.

"You go on and see what your pa wants and I'll go and start getting the fence started again, okay?" Ennis says. He goes to his horse and rubs its neck to try to calm it.

"Yeah, okay, see ya in a lil' bit then," Jack says and watches Ennis jump on the horse and wave off to Jack. Jack would have waved back but, knowing Ennis, he knows Ennis wouldn't have even seen it, so he walks over to the barn where his father is cleaning out one of the stalls.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, I did," Mr. Twist says coldly. Jack just stands there. He doesn't know what to do but he knows he doesn't like the sound of his father's voice. All of a sudden a memory flashes before him from long ago when he was a little boy and still impressed with his father's rodeo career.

Jack thinks back on the time he finally worked up the courage to ride the neighbor's prize winning bull. He tried and tried to stay on that bull but no matter how hard he tried or how long he managed to stay on it, it still wasn't enough to impress the old man.

"You didn't try hard enough. You're just gonna be a disappointment to me and your mother," the old man had said to Jack back then.

Jack had even got a broken arm in his effort to impress the old man and it was really painful, but Jack was determined not to let it show thinking "Maybe now he will show me something besides just hate…"

"What happened was your fault," Jack's father had told him. "You're just no good for nothing."

Jack is finally thrown back in the here and now by his father's shouts.

"Are you listening to me, boy?" Mr. Twist yells, spit flying all over Jack's face. Jack doesn't answer; he just wipes the spit off his face.

"Listen to me," he yells again this time slapping him and drawing blood from Jack's lip. Jack just turns his head when his father grabs him by the arm and throws him over into the stall. The old man hits him once more then starts to take off his belt. Jack tries to escape but Mr. Twist is blocking his way.

Meanwhile, Ennis has started to wonder where Jack is since it has been more than five minutes since he got here. "Jack, you'd better get here soon," Ennis states out loud clearly pissed since Jack isn't here yet. "I ain't gonna do all this by myself. Where the hell are you, Jack?"

So after another 4 minutes pass, Ennis decides that he is gonna find out where Jack is and why he hasn't come out here to help. "I swear, if he has gone back to sleep…," Ennis says angrily. When Ennis gets close enough to the house, he jumps down from his horse and asks Mrs. Twist where Jack is.

"I think he's in the barn," says Mrs. Twist having no idea what her husband is doing to their only child.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five  
Part One

"I think he is in the barn," answers Mrs. Twist. Ennis just nods his head and walks over towards the barn kicking rocks all the way. Once Ennis reaches the barn, Mr. Twist storms out, walks past him and spits towards Ennis's feet. The old man keeps walking around the barn mumbling about something. Ennis just snorts and walks into the barn. The sight he sees is unexpected.

"Jack…" Ennis says in disbelief as he walks cautiously over to where Jack is sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees and his head bowed low. "Jack…," Ennis says once more now kneeling down to face Jack. Ennis puts a hand on one of Jack's knees. "Jack, look at me. What happened?" Ennis asks him.

Jack doesn't say anything. He doesn't even look at anything but his feet.

"What happened?" Ennis asks trying to sound as calm as he can but this is just too much for him to take seeing his Jack like this after everything else that has happened. Hasn't he suffered enough? Ennis thinks.

He wants to know who did this. He has an idea but he wants Jack to tell him. He didn't want to get arrested for assault if it isn't even the right person but he knows deep down it has to be that one person. He just doesn't know why he did it but, knowing this person, it must have taken only one wrong look and that set the fireworks off - the fireworks of one Mr. Twist. He's a dead man, thinks Ennis.

Jack is still sitting there now only staring at the wall of the barn that is in front of him while rocking back and forth.

"Jack, look at me please," begs Ennis. "Did he do this?" Ennis asks, knowing all to well that no matter what Jack says did this. Ennis knows he did! Jack just shakes his head repeatedly not saying one word about what happened since Ennis found him in the trance-like state. Ennis doesn't know what to do. He swipes his hand over his face and stands up to see if Jack would go in the house with him.

Ennis takes a hold of one of Jack's arms to gently lift him up and off the ground and onto his feet but Jack just pushes Ennis's hand away and just begins to rock back and forth again.

"Jack," Ennis says once more at a loss for words with this sudden change in his Jack.

After a long five minutes that seemed like an eternity to Ennis, Jack still hasn't spoken a word and Ennis is running out of patience. Ennis decides that he should go and get Mrs. Twist. As he is walking over to the entrance of the barn, he barely hears Jack call his name. That voice…that voice can make angels sing and even the devil cry, thinks Ennis.

"Ennis, where are you going?" Jack asks after a few seconds having to stop to get control of his crying so Ennis can understand him.

"Nowhere baby, I was just going to get your ma."

"No, please stay with me," Jack says and moves over to show Ennis that he wants him to sit beside him.

"Alright Jack," Ennis says and sits down on the ground beside Jack.

So for a few minutes the only sound is of Jack's silent crying and the animals and every once in a while the sound of the wind blowing across the land, but the only thing that Ennis can hear is Jack's crying. Ennis just places a hand on Jack's shoulder trying to comfort him the only way he knows.

"I'm here, if you want to talk about it," Ennis says. Jack just nods his head.

A good few minutes later Jack finally speaks by simply saying "Thanks Ennis, we can go inside now if you want."

"Not until you tell me who did this and what happened."

"I just can't," Jack screams and falls into Ennis's arms crying and soaking Ennis's shirt.

"It's alright Jack. It's okay," Ennis says while trying hard not to just grab a gun and shoot the SOB who did this. But seeing Jack in this state crying on his shoulder is all it takes to stop him from doing what he wants. Jack needs him and he is gonna stay with him even if he is angry as hell and wants to give that old man a taste of his own medicine. How can anyone ever do this to such a sweet loving man like Jack? Ennis just doesn't and probably never will understand why some people are just so evil. Once Jack gets himself under control and his crying stops, he wipes his face with his palm and gets up and shakes the dirt off his pants. He grabs his torn shirt off the ground and throws it on while trying to block out the pain that shoots up and down his back once the flannel touches his bruised and cut skin. "It ain't okay," Jack says and walks out of the barn - walks out and leaves Ennis standing there confused as hell with all the conflicted emotions going through his brain heart and soul.

"Jack, what have you two been doing in there for so long?" Mrs. Twist asks with a smile that fades as soon as she finishes her question, when she sees Jack just walk off and he doesn't say a thing to her just waves a hand to her.

Jack went to his secret childhood place and cried while watching the sun go down. He didn't return until supper time. Ennis had gone up to his room when Jack took off and was trying to think of just what he was feeling inside and how he would fix this. He knows that standing it would do nothing but make it worse over time so fixing it is the only option.

Later that night

"Jack, have you washed your hands?" Mrs. Twist asks before Jack sits down at the table.

"Yes, mama," Jack says and begins to fill his plate up.

Ennis comes down the room and senses right away that the tension is so thick; you could cut it with a knife. Nobody really says much the entire time and, as soon as Mr. Twist is through eating, he goes to his room as usual. Ennis is outraged that everyone is acting like nothing happened. He knows that Mrs. Twist doesn't know anything about it, but he can't believe that Jack is going to just let it go. Mr. Twist acted like his sour old self hitting evil stares towards Jack. I swear if he had looked at me that way or had said anything to Jack, I would have jumped up right over that table and slammed his face in the floorboards, Ennis thinks while up in his room after dinner.

"Jack?"  
"Yes, mama."  
"What happened earlier? Did you and Ennis have a fight?" Mrs. Twist asks when it is just the two of them in the kitchen.  
"No ma'm," Jack says while handing a dish to his mother.  
"Then why were you so upset and why did you stay out so long? And don't tell me you were working 'cause I know you weren't and another thing - why would Ennis be up in his room all day if nothing happened between you two, huh?" Mrs. Twist asks trying to get some answers as to why everyone has been acting so different today.  
"What happened? You can tell me anything, you know"  
"Ennis has been up in his room all day?" Jack whispers.  
"Yes he's been up there ever since you stormed off. He looked like the life was just sucked right out of him. He finally came down when supper was done."  
"Oh," Jack says. "Can you handle the rest of these?"  
"Yes, go on," Mrs. Twist says and kisses Jack on the cheek.


	6. Chapter 5 part 2

Chapter five part two:

I am so stupid! How could I just walk out of the barn like that, Ennis?"

"It must be something awful. Ya had a damn good reason to do it. Damn, you just got beaten the fuck up by your father of all people."

"Uh, that's nothing new. I've been beaten up by him my entire life even though that is the worst beating I have gotten since I was a small boy. Don't even know what I done to deserve it, but still I had no reason to run off like that. I just hope you ain't mad."

"Mad? How could I be mad at you? Mad yes, angry as hell, crazy like I want to kill someone yes, but not at you, never at you, you, dumb son of a bitch," Ennis jokes. "I was worried about you. You were acting so strange, not talking or nothing and then the next thing I know, off you go and I don't know where you're going or what you're gonna do," Ennis says now very serious.

"I know and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I just had to get out of there. You wanted to know what happened and I just wasn't ready to tell you, "Jack says.

"It's alright," Ennis states. "We're gonna get our own place, start that sweet life together," they both say at the same time.

"You mean it?" Jack says.

"You bet I do," Ennis says smiling.

"How about we get that shirt off and get you cleaned up now, huh?" Ennis says pointing at the shirt that Jack is wearing with dirt and rips all over it. Jack takes a look at it and smiles.

"Yeah, it has seen better days, huh?" Jack says with a little laugh. Ennis goes to the bathroom and gets a washcloth and wets it with water from the sink faucet. He brings it over to Jack and waits for Jack to take his shirt off. Then he gently moves the wet rag over Jack's back trying not to touch Jack's badly bruised back. Ennis starts to get misty-eyed when he gets a close look of Jack's back.

"Ennis," Jack whispers.

"Yeah," Ennis whispers back, trying to hold back the tears. Jack turns to face Ennis and rubs his face just like Ennis has done to him every so often and wipes the tears from Ennis's face. Ennis just half smiles and does the same to Jack.

"We're really gonna get our own place, you really mean it?"

"Yes, I do. I don't take back promises and I can't take back words, you told me that."

"Yeah, I remember," Jack says now in the warmth and safety of Ennis's strong arms. "Just have to set some things straight first, see if we can go somewhere else for a while until we can get our own place. I don't want to have to worry about paying some land lord or anything. I want to have it all paid off so we don't have to worry. I got some money saved but it'll take me a few months to get enough to even think of buying a house."

"I have some money saved up, too, you know."

"Yes, I know you do, but I want to buy it myself to show you I ain't ever letting you go again."

"I don't worry about that anymore. Your still being here right now tells me that you aren't leaving me again and I love you so much, I just don't want to have you go through this too or think that you have to pay everything, 'cause what's mine is yours and that includes my money. I do understand though you wanting to buy it with only your money but please, just for this time, let me help you buy our house. If we put all of our money together, we could at least put a down payment on a house and I have a perfect house that I think you would love," Jack confesses.

"Oh so you have been thinking about this for awhile, huh?"

"I've been thinking about this since the day we left each other up on that mountain in 1963. That house's been sitting there with no owners for the longest time. It needs work but between you and me I don't think it will be a big job. We could have it up and looking pretty good in, say, three months. I could show it to you tomorrow, if you want, I mean, if you don't change your mind."

"No, I ain't changing my mind for nothing and I ain't letting you stay here no more with that s.o.b. of a father you got. I know he did this," Ennis says and points to Jack's swollen back. "You don't ever have to tell me what happened or why but I know what I see and I know about him, so don't lie to me and say he didn't do this 'cause he did, but that's alright 'cause he is gonna get his turn, that's for damn sure," Ennis says, his voice getting louder with every word he says. Jack just nods.

"You won't hurt him too bad, will ya? " Jack asks with a smirk.

"Just as bad as he hurt you," Ennis states "and I want you to stay away from him as much as you can while we're still here, 'cause it might take a while for me to find a place to stay. But we are leaving here even if we have to stay at a motel. There is no way that we're staying here more than a week, you understand?" Ennis says.

"Yeah, I understand," Jack says and falls on his bed. Ennis just walks over to the bed and climbs in it alongside Jack. He wraps his arms around Jack holding him until they both fall asleep.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Ennis wakes up in the early morning light so he moves over to his side to see if Jack is up, but Jack is still sleeping peacefully. With the sunlight shining in from the window lighting Jack's face so beautifully Ennis just stares and sends a silent prayer up to the heavens for that day that sent Jack his way in that piece of junk truck that broke down more times then you could put up with.

But it is that truck that brought him to me so I guess I have to thank you even for that, thinks Ennis while brushing Jack's hair that fell on his beautiful face covering those beautiful blue eyes of his. Of Jack's, his Jack.

Ennis strokes Jack's face and gently moves closer to Jack mere inches from his face and so softly places his lips on Jack's and kisses him with so much passion that Ennis sheds a tear for all the years that he could have had this - just like this - but he was too afraid to be with the person that held his heart and the only person who really knew him - who really knows the true Ennis Del Mar, the Ennis deep down.

But the truth is I am nothing without you. You're the only one who I am truly happy with. Just thinking about you shines a light that is always turned off whenever you aren't around. My heart you carry. My soul is only with you when you aren't around me. I am just a mere shadow of myself then when I'm with you. Without you I would just die. I just wish I could tell you exactly just how I feel about you and what you mean to me. You're my life, my only life and now I am ready to spend it with you. I love you so much - I wish you were able to hear me now so you would know, but I just can't tell you. When you're listening the words just come out all wrong if I can even speak them at all, Ennis thinks.

He grabs Jack's blanket and tosses it over towards the end of the bed and searches for Jack's hand. Once he finds it, he brings it up to his face and lays a kiss on Jack's palm and then kisses each knuckle before placing it back by Jack's side. Then he wraps his own palm and entwines it with Jack's. He scoots closer to Jack and lifts Jack gently up and sets him where his head is lying on Ennis's chest. Ennis plays with Jack's hair and hums a lullaby while looking out the window.

After several lullabies Jack finally opens those beautiful eyes that stole Ennis's heart and makes you wonder of just the pure beauty of God's creation.

"Ennis," Jack says groggily still with morning breath.

"Phew, boy, you need to go brush your teeth," jokes Ennis with a smile.

"Well, I guess you don't want your good morning kiss then, huh?" Jack says.

"Well, I didn't say that," Ennis says and grabs Jack and kisses him so tenderly that it takes Jack's breath away.

"Why are you in such a good mood?"

"'Cause I am with you," Ennis starts to say but then comes the problem he has with telling people his innermost feelings, even when he so wants to. It's still a hard thing to do and he doesn't even know why that is.

"Ennis, you don't have to tell me, I know. It's okay."

Ennis just stares at Jack with a sad expression on his face.

"Really, it is," Jack says trying to reassure Ennis. Ennis just shakes his head and Jack starts to rub Ennis's arm. "Are you ready to see today that house I was talking about?" asks Jack a little excited. Ennis just nods his head. "Well, then, we'd better get ready. I want to get back here so we can get to working before my dad gets up," Jack says. Ennis just grunts.

A minute or two later

Jack grabs his pillow and throws it right into Ennis's face. "Well, look who got better with his aim!" Jack says smiling and laughing.

"You're a crazy s.o.b.," Ennis says and smiles shaking his head.

"That's why you love me," Jack says and kisses Ennis on the cheek. Jack then begins to rummage through the pile of clothes lying on the floor to find which ones are his and which ones are Ennis's. He finds his pants first and puts 'em on. He then grabs a shirt and puts it on slowly 'cause his back is still sore. It actually feels more painful now than it did yesterday, if that makes any sense.

"Um, that's my shirt," says Ennis while still sitting on the bed. Jack just stares at Ennis then stares at himself wearing Ennis's shirt.

"Looks good on me," Jack says with a shrug and a smile.

"Will you get ready? Geez, what are you doing? Are you not coming? Have you changed your mind?" says Jack with his glistening blue sparkling eyes turning a pale blue that somehow looks grey. Ennis can see the disappointment in those eyes. He has seen it there more times than he wished.

"I haven't changed my mind; I just don't see why we have to get up so early in the morning to check out this house. Who is gonna be up at this time of the day anyways? We have to rush so we don't make your dad angry, huh?" Ennis says now to Jack's face. Jack just moves away and sits on the edge of the bed and twirls his shirt between his fingers while staring out at the morning sky until Ennis moves in front of Jack blocking his view.

"Man, move out of the way," Jack says and pushes Ennis away from the window.

"Don't push me," Ennis tells Jack. Jack moves his head from the window to Ennis.

"Don't push ya."

"I don't want to fight."

"Well, I'll tell you something," Jack gets into Ennis's face pointing his finger and poking Ennis in the chest, "You're telling me what to do. Well, stop telling me what to do. Everything you have told me to do or to not do, I have, but not anymore. You said we couldn't be in love, you said we couldn't live together so we didn't. I betrayed my feelings, my heart, my soul. I betrayed myself; I lied to everyone, worst of all I lied to myself. I just wanted to be with you but did you want to be with me? Hell no, you selfish son of a bitch."

"I'm here now, Jack. I want to be with you. I want it, too. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure out that I wanted and needed it, but I'm here and I am saying to you that I want to be with you… just you."

"Yeah, now, fucking now! Why couldn't you be with me in '63, huh? Why did it take you years to know that you love me, huh? Was it that hard to love a man; that hard to love me? If you had been with me, I never would have been through what I have been through. It's your fault," Jack says and hits Ennis in the chest.

Ennis stands stock still giving Jack a chance to talk about his feelings but he can't just stand here much longer and let Jack just hit him like he did. He knows that maybe Jack is right but it still hurts like hell to hear the words that Jack is speaking.

He thinks it's my fault and what do I do about it? Do I say 'sorry' just like so many times before or what? I'm so confused; I just wish I could start over, thinks Ennis while Jack is still hitting away at his heart. Ennis tries to not let his anger and pride get the better of him but it wins out and pushes Jack back. Jack falls back on the bed with a terrified look on his face which, as suddenly as it got there, disappears into anger and hurt left behind on Jack's face. Ennis just puts his hand on his forehead and stands there so silently, whispers 'sorry' and grabs his clothes, throws 'em on and walks out the door. Jack sits there and begins to sob into Ennis's pillow.

"What have I done? Why did I tell Ennis that I blamed him? It's not his fault", Jack says out loud with tears falling down his face. He starts to punch the pillow but he realizes that that would not fix the situation that he created, so he grabs his coat and runs out the door after Ennis, not even bothering to put on his boots.


	8. Chapter 6 part 2

Never Letting Go - Chapter Six - Part Two

PART TWO

Ennis slowly walks out the door to Jack's bedroom and takes the stairs two steps at a time trying hard to not wake Mr. and Mrs. Twist. He so badly wants to get out of the house and go somewhere where he can be alone. He picks up his speed when he hears Jack open his door.

"I can't see him right now. He blames me - I pushed him, I pushed him down. How can he ever forgive me", thinks Ennis trying to calm all the emotions running through his mind. He feels a headache coming on and by the time he gets to the stall that his horse is in, he can hear that Jack has caught up with him and is standing in the barn entrance shifting from foot to foot. Ennis doesn't turn and look. He feels too ashamed to look at Jack. He begins to call the horse over to him and pays Jack no attention at all. Jack apparently doesn't mind 'cause he just stands there not saying one word; the only indication that Jack is there is his shadow looming on the ground, his feet hitting the gravel and his slow breathing but other than that, nothing else is heard.

Ennis turns his head a little to see Jack and he sees the most beautiful person that you could even imagine standing there with the sunlight shining all around him looking like an angel.

"Maybe he is", thinks Ennis, "'cause I feel mighty blessed just to have him here with me."

Though no words are spoken, Jack just standing there makes Ennis's heart stop and all the conflicting emotions and all the other bullshit that he deals with or have dealt with in his life just disappears and the only thing he feels is love - love for this person - and he knows what he needs to do. So, before turning around, Ennis nuzzles the horse's hair and then very slowly turns around to face Jack who, by this time, is looking down to the ground and playing with his feet nervously.

"Jack…," says Ennis. Jack looks up at Ennis who is now standing in front of him. Ennis looks into Jack's eyes and sees the tear-stained expression. With tears falling down his face Jack simply says "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, you know that, right? It's not your fault. I was just angry but I don't blame you for anything and I'm sorry. I would do anything to take back that moment but I can't. I'm just gonna have to say I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart and pray that you will forgive me. Please forgive me."

Jack looks at Ennis with tears falling down like rain from his blue eyes and Ennis goes to touch Jack's face. Instead, he looks down to the ground, shuffles dirt with his boot and says "I'm terribly sorry for pushing you. I should never have done it."

"It's alright. I deserved it. I hit you first and I am glad you pushed me. If you hadn't, then I wouldn't have realized just how stupid I was being," Jack says with a sheepish smile.

Jack reaches out his hand to grab Ennis's but instead he grabs air. When Ennis moves out the way, Jack is taken back by this and stands there in disbelief as Ennis not only moves out of the way of Jack's hold but also walks out of the barn. Jack stands there just wanting to collapse and let the world crumble around him but he loves Ennis and he won't let him go that easy.

"Ennis," Jack shouts while trying to catch up with him.

"What?" Ennis shouts back and Jack nearly runs into Ennis when he stops and just stares out in to the field up ahead.

"Dont' run away from me, please. I said I was sorry. What else do I have to do?"

Jack stares out in the open field trying to figure out what is so fascinating to Ennis when he explains just why he was so angry at Ennis earlier.

"It wasn't you I was angry at. I was just taking it out on you and I'm sorry," says Jack now with crying eyes.

Ennis just looks at Jack "I kinda figured that, that's why I didn't beat you up myself ," jokes Ennis.

"I bet you know how to do that, huh?" Jack jokes giving Ennis a playful punch in the shoulder.

"So, we good now?" Ennis asks.

"Yeah, we're good now," Jack says and gives Ennis a hug. Ennis puts his arms around Jack so tight that he is hurting Jack's still sore back. When Ennis hears a whimper from Jack, he begins to let Jack loose when he hears Jack whispering in a demanding tone: "Don't you dare let go!"

Jack was in a really killing pain. His back felt like it was on fire but he doesn't give a damn 'cause Ennis rarely let him take a look at his emotions and showed him just how much both meant to the other. So, Ennis grabs Jack back into that bear hug and then throws Jack down with little effort 'cause he just caught Jack by surprise. They hadn't done anything like that since their Brokeback days and them being here like that just made it feel for a second like they were back up there with nothing but the two of them and those damn sheep for company.

By the time they are done playing and fooling around, Jack and Ennis finally get to the place that took them all morning to get to.

"This is the place I was telling you about, Ennis," Jack says. Once they turn around a big bunch of bushes, Ennis comes in view of the most perfect little house - not so perfect 'cause it surely isn't in any great condition - but perfect because it is just for them or it will be.

"Are you speechless? I know I was when I first saw it. It's like a dreamhouse, huh?" Jack says and Ennis just nods, barely hearing what Jack is saying.

"Our dreamhouse," Ennis whispers.

Jack, not hearing what Ennis has just said, goes on to say: "When I first saw this place, I couldn't help but imagine us living here. I could just see us here. The land is great, too, don't you think?" says Jack, hoping that Ennis is speechless because he loves it too.

Ennis goes up and runs his hand along the window to the front door. "Have you been inside?" Ennis asks while looking at the porchwood work.

"No, I never had a reason to, at least not until now. Before I was just daydreaming but now it's real if you want it."

"Oh, I do, I really do," Ennis almost shouts, showing just how much he truly wants it. Jack just can't believe the look on Ennis's face. He has never seen Ennis this happy in all the time he has known him. The smile on Ennis's face just warms his heart and he wishes he can see that smile on that man's face forever.


	9. Chapter 6 3A

Never Letting Go - Chapter Six - Part 3a

Jack walked back home to call the sales-person. Ennis stayed behind checking out all the damage that the house had. When Jack finally came back, Ennis is nowhere in sight so Jack goes around the house and begins to shout Ennis's name, when Ennis decides to pop up out of nowhere.

"Hey, why you shout so much for, huh? Where'd you come from and why did you take so long? I was getting worried. I thought something happened. Come here."

"What…?"

"Just come here," Ennis says and grabs one of Jack's arms and leads him towards a big tree.

"A tree," Jack says and Ennis just points up to a tree house way up in the tree.

"Oh cool," Jack says, "Is that where you were?" Ennis just smiles with rosy cheeks. "How'd you get up there?"

So Ennis shows Jack once they are both up in the tree house overlooking the land and their dreamhouse. "So, what did the salesperson say?"

"They'll be here sometime today or tomorrow. Are you sure that these boards will hold us?"

"Yeah I'm sure," Ennis says with a not so concerned wave.

"Uh, what are you doing?" asks Jack when Ennis begins to play with Jack's belt buckle. "We can't do it up here. Are you crazy or something? Where is the Ennis I know, huh? What have you done with him?" Jack says staring into Ennis's eyes looking him up and down.

"He took a vacation," jokes Ennis and begins to take Jack's clothes off while laying kisses on every inch of Jack's body and as soon as Jack begins to moan, Ennis jumps out of the treehouse and scatters off with Jack's clothes.

"Hey," Jack yells angry at Ennis for interrupting their lovemaking just when he was getting a hard-on and the fact that he is outside with no clothes on and Ennis has his clothes, doing God knows what with them. So after a good five minutes up there, Jack finally hears some commotion down on the ground so he thinks it's Ennis. He jumps down to try and get his clothes back, but when he walks out into the open he realizes that the person staring at his naked body is not Ennis; it's not even a man but a woman with long red curly hair and green eyes.

"You must be the salesperson," Jack says while trying to cover up.

"Um, yes and you are a naked man on land that you don't own," says the woman with an Irish accent.

"Um, yes ma'm. I'm naked but, uh, well…" Jack tries to think of a way to explain why he is out here with nothing on without being sent off to some crazy hospital. Hearing Ennis snicker from somewhere off into the distance doesn't help either. "I'm Jack Twist, ma'm, the person that called you."

"And you decide to come meet me with no clothes on," the woman says with sarcasm.

Ennis finally steps out from wherever he was hiding and gives Jack back his clothes. "That was my fault ma'm. It was just a prank I pulled on him," Ennis explains with all the courage he could muster.

"Well, come on in then get a look at the place," the woman says and gets another peek at Jack while he is still getting dressed.

Jack steps aside for the lady with cheeks burning red and Ennis just tips his hat keeping his focus on the ground.

"Um, thank you ma'm," Jack says while holding the door for the lady.

"By the way my name is Miss Gabby." Ennis just raises an eyebrow for the woman having such an unusual name. Jack just is his gentleman self and smiles. "It's a nickname really," she says noticing Ennis's expression. Ennis just lowers his head further down ashamed that he's been caught. Miss Gabby just smiles and shakes her head. "So what would you like to see first?"

"Uh the whole house, ma'm," Ennis plainly states.

"Well, of course, but some people like to check out how many beds or baths there are before they decide to look over the rest of the house."

"Well, that's not us ma'm."

"Okay," Miss Gabby says to the man standing there looking more frightened than a cat with a dog on its tail. "But he sure gets to the point, doesn't he? I think I like him and, whew, that Jack Twist is a dream," Miss Gabby thinks to herself with a smile.

"Well, the kitchen cabinets were handcrafted by the original owners so they might need a little work here and there, but you have to agree that the woodwork is just beautiful, don't you think?" Jack just nods with a smile and Ennis is off to his own little world not paying much attention to anyone but staring at the house and he already knows, just by seeing the outside and the kitchen, that no matter the price, he wants this house not just for him but for Jack, too. He wants to live here with Jack. "What will our life be right here? It would be wonderful," thinks Ennis already wondering if he could save up some more money for some horses. That meant he would need a barn and fencing so he starts calculating. "Man, these are gonna cost a lot!" thinks Ennis. "This isn't like me," thinks Ennis with a chuckle. Jack who has just stepped into the living room, turns around and stares at Ennis.

"What you laughing at, bud?" Ennis just shrugs and walks over to where Miss Gabby is.

"The floors in here are all hardwood flooring. You got carpet up in the bedrooms," Miss Gabby explains. Jack takes a look around the room while Miss Gabby tells them that it's not furnished so they might have to spend a little extra money on that. "But I think the price is great considering the amount of land that you get with it."

"How much is the house anyway?" Ennis asks, so Miss Gabby whispers into his ear the price just to get a good look at this very shy man. He ain't too bad looking either, thinks Miss Gabby.

"Well that's a fair price, I guess," Ennis says and they head upstairs.

"There are three bedrooms and one bathroom. Hope y'all don't mind that."

"No, ma'm," Jack says.

"Well, I guess that's about all. If you would like to look around some more, I'll be out on the porch, just come find me when y'all are done, okay?" Miss Gabby says and leaves the two very handsome men to themselves.

"Well, what do you think?" Jack asks Ennis who is looking out one of the windows.

"I wanted this house the minute I saw it," says Ennis.

Miss gabby is standing looking at the view and thinking that she can't believe she has a crush on both those complete strangers she has just met, who she probably won't ever see again. "Anyway, it still was fun to think of which one is cuter" and that was exactly what she was thinking when her two crushes walked up to her and Jack held out his hand to her. At first she is shocked and doesn't know what he is doing but then she realizes when he says "We'll take it."

"Oh okay, so will this be in cash?"

"Um, well, I don't have the money on me. We only have the down payment for now. You do take monthly payments right?" Ennis cuts in.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Miss Gabby says even though she knows she is lying. "But, tell me please, how can I say no to these two?" she thinks.

"Great, uh, could you maybe stop by my parents' place? I can give you the down payment there, if that is alright with you," Jack asks.

"Oh, that's fine. We can go now if you want."

"Yeah sure, we're done looking," Jack says, so Miss Gabby closes the front door and locks it and then shows the two gentlemen to her car.

"Is this it?"

"Yes, ma'm," answers Jack. He jumps out of the car that is barely to a stop and runs to the house trying hard not to run into his father who, he knows, must be furious by now with them being gone nearly all day. So, by the time he gets back out, his rushing doesn't do no good as he sees both his parents coming over to see who is there. Meanwhile, Ennis has been standing by the car waiting for Jack.

"Here you go, ma'm," Jack says and hands over his and Ennis's money.

"Well, thank you and I really hope you enjoy your new home," Miss Gabby says and stuffs the money in her handbag, not even bothering to count it, knowing these two gentlemen are not the scamming or cheating kind.

"A new home?" Mrs. Twist asks.

"Uh, yes, they just bought a home a few miles down from here."

"Um, shouldn't you be on your way before the banks close?" Jack tries to say, not really wanting to explain to his father why he and Ennis are buying a house together.

"Uh, yes, I guess you are right. I'll come back to see you two in a few weeks," Miss Gabby says and drives off with a hand out her window waving them goodbye.

"Well, what on earth would you two want to go buy a house for, huh?" Mr Twist says being his usual hateful self.

"No time to talk. Got a lot of catching up to do," Jack hollers and runs off to find something to fix, when he really just wants to get away from his father and his putting down ways. Ennis runs off after Jack not saying a word to Mr. Twist, just waving hello to Mrs. Twist.

"What the hell is going on around here?" Mr. Twist says with a suspicious look and then walks off to get back to his work.

Mrs. Twist just smiles watching Jack and Ennis walking off into the distance. Realizing that Jack would be leaving soon, hurts her to the core but knowing that he will be with such a man as Ennis, makes her smile. She is sure that her son will be taken care of and that Ennis would let no harm come to him


	10. Chapter 6 3B

Never Letting Go - Chapter 6 - Part 3b

"I can't believe it! We have our own home us, we're finally living together," Jack says in a jumble of words 'cause he is speaking so fast.

"What did you say, boy? I couldn't understand one word you said," Ennis says.

Jack just throws his arms around Ennis and kisses those lush lips that he craves and whispers: "I'm happy. Thank you, Ennis, for making me the happiest person in the world." Ennis is speechless which isn't unusual, but seeing him cry is and it still pulls at Jack's heart whenever he sees those tears fall from this man's face.

Once Ennis gets back in control, he nudges Jack's shoulder. "You know what I was just thinking?" Ennis says.

"No, do you think I can read minds?" says Jack.

"Well, I was just thinking, when we get some furniture in our house, I would love it if I could make you moan my name on every inch of that house."

"Oh Yeah," Jack says with a stare that means "No you couldn't."

"You think I couldn't, huh?"

"I know you couldn't."

"Wanna make a bet?"

"Yeah why not? You'll be the loser," Jack says feeling confident that Ennis can't make him do that, at least not on every inch of the house but he thinks it would be really fun for him to try. "All the more fun for me Jack," thinks with a smile.

"So what will the bet be?" Jack asks.

"Hm, well, I don't know. How about the loser has to stay out in the treehouse with no clothes on?"

"You're on," Jack says with a big grin.

"We should go shopping for some furniture tomorrow, so we can move in as quickly as we can," Jack says to Ennis, wanting so badly to move in today.

"You know we could move in today," Ennis states and Jack gets this crazy looking expression on his face.

"Why do you look like that?" Ennis asks.

"Well, I think maybe you can read minds now 'cause that's just want I was thinking."

"Oh well, I was just thinking how nice it would be to get out of your parents' house so we could spend more time together," Ennis confesses and takes Jack's hand in his.

"That would be nice," Jack says.

If you'd like to see their home then message me and I'll send you the pic :)


	11. Chapter 7

Ennis and Jack stand and watch the sunset falling off into the horizon till it disappears - in the next few seconds they begin to walk back to the Twist residence.

Once there, Ennis goes to the barn to bring the horse back to its stall along with Jack's and Jack goes inside to wash up for dinner.

Jack steps in the house and takes his hat off and puts it on the hat hook nailed into the wall by the front door. Mrs. Twist hears someone coming inside so she steps away from the stove where she was cooking a pot roast and notices that it's Jack so she wipes her hands on her apron and gives her son a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Dinner will be done soon."

"Okay ma. I was just gonna go get washed up."

"Jack?"

"Yes ma?" asks Jack and he turns back around to face his mother.

"Are you really gonna move into that house?"

"Yes ma'm. As soon as we can," explains Jack with a big smile. Mrs. Twist looks at her son and can see the sparkle in those beautiful eyes of his. She can see how much he really wants to move and be with Ennis more so than anything else he has ever wanted to do.

"Will you come and visit often?" Mrs. Twist asks knowing how hard it can be to visit family when they're not right next door. Jack and Ennis may be living not too far from here but still she has a terrible feeling that she'll never see her little boy again and maybe it is so because her little boy hasn't been around in a long time. She has a hard time realizing that her little boy is now a man and can do things for himself without her help.

"Of course. We'll come and visit. Are you feeling alright, mama? I can't live without seeing you every once and awhile," Jack says with a genuine smile. Mrs. Twist grabs Jack's hand and pats it a few times.

"Yes, I'm fine. You go and get washed up now," Mrs. Twist says and Jack walks over to the washroom in the exact same time that Ennis and Mr. Twist walk through the door.

Ennis goes up the stairs to use the bathroom and Mr. Twist, unbeknownst to Jack, heads into the washroom where Jack is.

Jack is wiping his hands with a towel when he is suddenly pushed out of the way and hits the wall. Jack looks up and sees his father standing there with his usual sour expression. "Hate spreads across that man's face 24/7," thinks Jack at that very moment.

Ennis comes down the stairs and takes a sit in his usual chair at the dinner table thumping his fingers down on his knees underneath the table impatiently waiting for everyone else so he can go back up to his room. He hates eating dinner here - it wouldn't be so bad if it was without Mr. Twist. Just the tension turns his stomach into knots - he can't believe that Jack had to put up with this all his life.

Jack comes out the washroom with a sorry look on his face until he sees Ennis sitting at the table and then he can't help but feel joy. He goes around and gets the dishes to help set the table for his mother and then once that's done he takes his seat by Ennis and his mother.

Mr. Twist comes out of the washroom and takes his seat while Mrs. Twist begins to serve the food.

As usual the room is filled with silence the entire time even when you try to make conversation. Mr. Twist always seems to just bring this kind of mood wherever he goes that just takes the joy out of everything and you just can't wait to get away from him and that glooming cloud that's over him always.

After dinner Ennis steps outside and goes to the barn so he can brush his horse's hair that he had been neglecting to do for a day or two. Jack comes up behind him his cigarette smoke giving him away. Ennis steps aside and Jack falls face first in the dirt

"Hey," Jack yells playfully. Ennis holds his hand out to help Jack up. "You better be glad my cigarette didn't set something on fire," Jack states.

Ennis turns and looks around for anyone and then starts touching Jack between the legs. "Feels to me like everything's alright," whispers Ennis with his lopsided smirk.

"Oh yeah, I think maybe you should check some more," Jack says with his hand pushing Ennis's. "We really need to move in our house soon," Jack says pushing up towards Ennis.

Ennis starts to move Jack over to the hayloft when they hear footsteps coming over towards the barn.

Mr. Twist walks into the barn to see Jack shovelling hay and Ennis over by the horses stall combing his horse's hair. He just shakes his hand and walks over and gets some tools and walks back out mumbling. Jack just throws the rank down and begins laughing. "Man, that was close," Jack says with his head lying on Ennis's shoulder. Ennis doesn't find anything funny about it, but seeing Jack like he is, he can't help but chuckle a little, too.

"Will you be coming in soon?" Jack asks while his fingertips stroke Ennis's arm up and down.

"Yeah, I'll be in soon," Ennis answers and gives Jack a nudge to go inside the house before they had another close call and this time not be lucky.

"I'm going, geez," Jack says and walks out the barn door. Ennis just watches him go and shakes his head with a smile.

The next day

Ennis and Jack are heading to town to check out if they can find any affordable furniture on sale, so they head to some local thrift-stores. By the end of their three-hour search, they've only found two things that they can afford, which Jack really doesn't like, but Ennis is aggravated and isn't ready to go away with nothing, if that's how it's gonna be. Jack decides that it's okay for now, so, they end up buying them. It's a kitchen table set which includes four chairs and a couch so they pay for it and they take the kitchen table first to the house and then they go back and get the couch. By the time they have everything in its place, they are both tired as hell with Jack sitting on the couch and Ennis sitting down on the floor.

"Well, two down," Jack says out of breath. Ennis nods his head.

"It'll be awhile before we can save up enough money you know," Ennis says.

"Yeah, I know," Jack says. Ennis hears the disappointment in his voice. "How can moving into a house take so much time?" Ennis wonders.

"Well, let's go get to work Ennis," Jack says bringing Ennis out of his thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" Ennis asks puzzled.

"You'll see," Jack says with a funny but adorable smile on his handsome face.


	12. Chapter 7 part two

Jack walks out of the house. He has a hold on Ennis's coat sleeve pulling him along until they stop in front of the truck.

"Get in," Jack demands.

"Why? Where are you gonna take me, huh?" Ennis asks.

"What, you don't trust me?" Jack says.

"It's not like that. Geez, I just wanna know what's going on," answers Ennis.

"Well, you're gonna find out - I just want it to be a surprise," answers Jack.

Ennis gives Jack a questionable look and starts walking back to the house.

"Where are you going?" Jack calls out.

"If we're going somewhere we don't need to leave the house unlocked," Ennis says while locking the front door.

"Smart ass," Jack whispers under his breath. Ennis walks back over to the truck and opens the passenger side door with Jack standing there to make sure that Ennis is really going with him. Ennis steps up to Jack.

"Are we going or are you gonna stand there till the sun goes down?"

Ennis answers in an aggravated tone though he is really interested in finding out just what Jack is talking about and is so eager to show him, but he doesn't want Jack to know that. He finds all this to be a little silly; two grown men shouldn't be acting like two foolish boys going off to find some dead animal or something of that nature, whatever boys like to do Ennis doesn't rightly know. He never really had time for foolishness, since his childhood seemed to go by in the blink of an eye but he does remember a few times when he had some time to do whatever he wanted. He'd go out to hunt foxes just out of boredom. It was pretty fun, Ennis thought, and he even caught a few sometimes in his own homemade traps. He'd drag the dead fox all the way home proud of himself - his parents thought he'd won a grand prize or something because of his beaming smile. It's hard to believe he'd been so foolish to be chasing foxes all day but where he grew up there wasn't much else to do. Growing up for Ennis was hard and it got even harder when his parents passed. When that happened, Ennis's childhood came to an end as well 'cause there was no more time for him to be playing there just too much work to be done and not enough time for anything else but getting by. Times like this it made him realized just how much he misses that time in his life; but most of all he misses his family.

While Ennis was off in his thoughts he didn't realize that they had moved and now with them off on the road, Jack humming to the radio, Ennis realizes for the first time that yes, he misses his family but they're gone and though he never really thinks back on his life, when he does he can't help but feel that they would be ashamed for his love for Jack and that always makes him distant towards Jack. He never told and probably never will tell Jack that that is the reason why he gets like he does; that and of course the fear – but the fear doesn't affect him anymore so neither should his parents. "They can't come back so why should I be afraid of them? I just hope that they realize I'm happy and I want Jack in my life. No matter how many people hate it, I will still be with him 'cause I love him and from the way I see it, he is my family. He and his mother will always be my family now until forever…"

"Ennis, Ennis, Ennis!"

Ennis's thoughts are interrupted by Jack's shouts. Ennis shakes his head and looks into Jack's beautiful face and, without even worrying about where they are or who might be watching, he grabs a hold of Jack and wraps his arms around him.

"I love you, Jack fucking Twist and I don't care what anyone else thinks," Ennis whispers in Jack's ear.

Jack wakes up with a start. He was so tired after unloading all that furniture that he must have fallen asleep on the couch. He gets up not noticing that there is more furniture than before at least not till he hits his foot while trying to find his way in the dark of the house.

"Damn it. What the hell…?" Jack swears and rubs his hurt foot.

"Hey, you're finally up," Ennis says while flipping on the kitchen light switch.

"We have power?" asks a very confused Jack.

"That's all you wanna know? Are you half asleep still or something? Don't you notice the lot of furniture that wasn't here before you fell asleep?" Ennis asks. Jack looks sleepily around the place in the dim light.

"Well, yeah, now I do. Where did all this come from, Ennis," Jack asks.

"Oh, it all came from a certain person," a female voice rings out around the walls. Jack walks over to the kitchen to stand next to Ennis and he notices the person standing there.

"Miss Gabby, you did all this."

She shakes her head, "I wanted to help and since I knew it would be awhile before you could move in, I figured I could help out with the furniture, so here you are," she says with her arms stretched. "It was hard getting everything in without waking you and then of course there was Ennis," she says and nods her head towards Ennis, "He kept saying that y'all couldn't accept it, but I wouldn't hear none of it," Miss Gabby smiles.

"I don't know what to say except thank you, thank you so much, but really this is too much," Jack says.

"Well if you can't just take it as a gift then I guess you can do some things for me like give me advice on how to fix a car. See, my car's been acting up on me and I just can't afford to take it to a shop."

"Well, I can check it out for ya while Jack finishes waking up," Ennis offers.

"Okay," Miss Gabby says a little too quickly for her liking.

Jack walks out on to the porch watching Ennis under the car hood totally fixated on finding the problem to the car and nothing else. Miss Gabby's acting like she really cares two cents about what Ennis is telling her instead of just wanting to be near him. Of course Jack can't blame her there; he's kinda surprised that he isn't a little jealous but he never was the jealous kind anyways and it's not like she is throwing herself at Ennis, she is just acting like… well what's the word… a lady with a crush.

Ennis slams the hood down and wipes his hands with a towel and goes to stand up on the porch by Jack.

"Well, thanks Ennis for helping with that."

"Yeah, it shouldn't give you no problem now and if it does, you just stop by and find me and I'll check it out," Ennis says.

"Of course. Well, I'd better be going. You got the money for your next house payment?"

Miss Gabby luckily has a nice boss who allows her to arrange monthly payments for Jack and Ennis although it's against the company's policy. She told her boss that she actually lied to Ennis and Jack about accepting monthly payments and told him about their situation and that they seemed like really nice and honest people, though she did wonder why two guys would want to live together. However she didn't banter on it - it wasn't her business - plus she liked them both.

"Yeah we got it," Jack says and goes into the house to retrieve it. "I want to thank you very much for what you did for us," Ennis says, barely a whisper.

"That's okay really, it's nothing," Miss Gabby says.

"Here you go," Jack says once back onto the porch and hands her the money for the next month's payment.

"Well thanks," Miss Gabby says and steps forward unexpectedly and hugs Ennis. "Thanks for letting me help," Miss Gabby whispers into Ennis's ear while both Ennis and Jack stand with the silliest expression on their faces. Miss Gabby giggles when she sees their expressions and then apologizes for invading Ennis's personal space.

"It's alright, just got me off guard that's all," Ennis says.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you and I thought we're friends so I didn't think I'd offend anyone."

"You didn't," Jack steps in, "you are a friend, I don't think any other sales-person would buy us furniture for our house," Jack says and he sees the tears falling down Miss Gabby's face and wraps his arms around her.

"Why are you crying, Miss Gabby?" Ennis asks puzzled by this sudden change. Miss Gabby steps away from Jack's embrace, "I'm sorry, I'm fine, I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable. It's just sometimes my emotions get the better of me."

"It's alright," Jack says.

"Well, I'd better be going. I'm sorry again. Just think of the furniture as a house warming gift," and with that Miss Gabby drives off into the dark distance.

"Well, what was up with her?" Ennis asks. Jack just shrugs and they walk into their house together.

"Well you're pretty good at decorating, Ennis, ever think about going into business?"

"Oh shut up," Ennis says while Jack snickers away.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"We can live here now. We have enough furniture and power and everything we need," Ennis says.

Jack just stands and stares. "Yeah, what about what you promised, huh?" Jack says and touches his belt buckle.

"Oh I'm gonna get to that," Ennis says and walks over to Jack. Slowly, he starts touching Jack anywhere that Ennis thinks would set Jack off.

"You're gonna moan my name everywhere in this house," Ennis says.

Jack just succumbs to Ennis's and his desire.

"I love you, Ennis del Mar," Jack whispers


	13. Chapter eight

Ennis lies on their bed waiting for Jack to get out of the shower. Ennis hears the water being turned off and sits up and waits, tapping his fingers on his knees and licking his lips, having a hard time just sitting here knowing what Jack looks like behind that door… dripping wet, his hair clinging to his freshly scented soap cleaned skin and knowing that it's just gonna get dirty again once Ennis catches a peak. Ennis cusses at the time going by so slowly and cusses at Jack for how long it takes him.

"Jack, get your ass in here."

Ennis waits keeping a close ear for any such noise coming from behind the bathroom door but, since there is none, Ennis is beginning to get worried, but thinking that maybe Jack is brushing his teeth, he waits some more. After waiting for what seemed like a century Ennis decides, "If Jack ain't gonna get his butt in here, then I'll just have to go in there and get him myself." So Ennis gets up from the bed having a hundred or more thoughts racing through his mind, he reaches his hand out towards the door, he opens it all the way till it hits the other wall and looks around the room. No sign of his Jack - just hot steam coming from the shower. The shower curtain is still pulled back so Ennis, thinking Jack is there playing a trick on him, grabs a firm hold on the curtain and swings it back revealing an empty shower. "What the hell?" Ennis says out loud. "Where the hell are you, Jack?" Ennis wonders becoming more worried with each passing second. "How could he just disappear? He didn't get out this room," thinks Ennis.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Jack got out the shower, he was thinking of that trick that Ennis had pulled on him when they went to check the house out the first time - Ennis stealing Jack's clothing having Jack out there with no clothes on and Miss Gabby getting an eyeful. So Jack decides that he wants a little payback, knowing that he is gonna have to stay out in the treehouse with no clothes on once more for losing the bet. He notices that there is a window that he can crawl out of and still be able to see inside. So, while Ennis is searching the little bathroom, Jack is secretly hiding, staring inside through the very small bathroom window that wasn't easy to fit through - but Jack managed - and he is snickering away seeing the puzzled look on Ennis's face. Just then Jack hears thunder off in the distance and feels the rain starting to fall. Not wanting to spoil the moment just yet, he stands there waiting to see Ennis's next move. What he sees is unexpected - Ennis sits down on the toilet lid brings his hands to his face and begins sobbing. Jack begins to realize that maybe this wasn't a good idea. Jack picks up a rock and throws it at the window trying to get Ennis's attention. Ennis is out of his crying fit not knowing why he was being such a big baby, but the thought of losing Jack now after everything just broke his heart in pieces. Ennis hears the tap on the window right by the door so he goes over there still pretty fogged up but he can see a little bit out and he focuses his eyes and sees Jack standing there soaked. Ennis at first is overjoyed to see his Jack, but then the realization that Jack played this sick and twisted joke on him, playing with his emotions, makes him madder than he's probably ever been with Jack. He turns away from the window and slams the bathroom door shut, paces around the bedroom not knowing what to do.

"Jack Fucking Twist," Ennis growls. He grabs his boots shoves 'em on and runs out of the house and into Jack. Jack looks at Ennis - Ennis looks at Jack full rage targeted on Jack. Jack breathes deeply and blurts out, "I 'm sorry Ennis. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't know you would get that way."

Ennis is angry at Jack for playing such a trick on him and for seeing him break down like he was and that makes him feel even more mad than before.

"Ennis, please forgive me, I was a dumbass, okay?"

Ennis grunts. "You were a complete dumbass," Ennis says with venom in his tone.

"Yeah, your right," Jack whispers, wishing that he could just rewind the night and to not do such a stupid thing like he did, wishing he could just do it over. He would've walked out that bathroom door into Ennis's embrace instead of being out here getting soaked probably getting a cold and having Ennis mad as a rattler at him. "We could've been in our nice warm bed wrapped in each other's arms."

Ennis comes up to Jack right in Jack's face and pushes him, at first. Jack thought that he was gonna have to fight Ennis but then Ennis's look of anger turns into a look of pure lust. Jack couldn't believe that Ennis was just going to forgive him like this, but if Ennis wanted him, he surely wasn't going to complain. Ennis grabs a hold of Jack's wrists and gets on top of Jack. Ennis begins to kiss Jack up and down, kissing his lips, wanting to just forget that terrible joke Jack played on him.

By the time they are through, Ennis slowly gets to his feet soaked, muddy and freezing. The storm is finally letting up and the thunder is off far where neither could hear. Jack gets up sore from their lovemaking.

"We should wash up in the barn so we don't track nothing in the house," Ennis says.

"Yeah," Jack heads over to the barn begins stripping off what little clothes he still has on, Ennis doing the same. Once all their clothes are off, Jack gets the water hose and begins to spray Ennis with the water. Once he is cleaned off or at least the cleanest you could get with just a water hose, Ennis takes the water hose and slowly sprays Jack down while wiping the mud dirt and semen off of Jack.

"You keep wiping me like that and I might just never get clean," Jack whispers.

"Ummm," Ennis throws the hose over where it goes and begins walking out the barn and into the house. Jack follows slower than usual but he gets there. Luckily, Ennis hasn't held a grudge and is waiting for him. Jack steps through the door and goes to turn the heat on till Ennis closes and locks the door. Once upstairs, Jack and Ennis get cosy and fall asleep, their fight and the cruel joke Jack played all forgotten.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning around noon, Jack and Ennis go to the Twist residence to have lunch and to get anything that they might have left behind to take back to their house. While Jack and Ennis are smoking outside after lunch, Mr. Twist comes over and tells Ennis to leave, that he wanted to talk to his son alone. Ennis having in mind what happened before isn't moving an inch away from the two.

"You know, when I say something I expect that person to listen to it and to do what I say when I say it. I won't tell you again," Mr. Twist spits out. Ennis just moves over towards Mr. Twist no longer worried about being kicked off the property. The only thing Ennis is seeing is Jack's back bruised from that man beating him, beating his own son like he was some disobedient dog. Ennis tells Jack to leave. Jack is hesitant at first till his father yells at him to get.

"Go keep your mother company, Jack, I don't want you to get hurt," Ennis asks with a calm tone.

Jack at first is upset over this. "What? Ennis doesn't think I can take care of myself, if I need to? Of course I've never been able to raise a hand to my father before," Jack thinks to himself and reluctantly goes back into the house to keep his mother company knowing Ennis will take care of things.

"Well, let's see if you can take a beating from in old man and still keep your pride," Mr. Twist says over-confident that he can beat the snot out of Ennis. Ennis just circles around the area waiting for Mr. Twist to do something.

"Did you hurt Jack, huh?" Ennis yells. Mr. Twist just spits at the ground. Ennis, tired of wasting time and no longer able to hold in his anger, punches Mr. Twist right off guard. Mr. Twist falls down on one knee. Ennis gets closer and hits Mr. Twist a couple more times in the face till the old man's nose looks broken, his face smeared in blood.

"You had enough, huh?" Ennis yells. "You gonna apologize?" asks Ennis. Mr. Twist stands up a little wobbly at first but then he finds his footing. "You gonna apologize to your son?" Ennis asks, a little calmer than before. Mr. Twist gets his first shot in and hits Ennis right in the jaw. Ennis begins to throw lefts and rights uncontrollably. By the time he stops, Mr. Twist is lying down and Ennis's hands are covered in blood. Ennis spits down at Mr. Twist and goes to retrieve his hat that has fallen off during the fight. He dusts it off and plants it back on his head, goes over to the water hose and rinses the blood off, knowing from the pain and the look of his hands that he broke a few knuckles and they will be swollen before long, but, at least, the old man got the worse of it. Ennis goes inside and finishes his coffee and tells Jack's mother that she might need to go out and check on her husband.

After loading their truck with everything that belonged to them Jack and Ennis go to say goodbye to Mrs. Twist. When they go around the house, they see that Mr. Twist is still on the ground not moving.

"Man, you musta knocked him out, Ennis," Jack says a little too happy about it.

"Yeah, I guess I just don't know my own strength," Ennis jokes, but when they see Mrs. Twist lying on the ground, Jack runs over to her, "Mama, mama, wake up, mama what's wrong?"

Ennis runs off towards the truck yelling at Jack, "We're gonna have to take her to the hospital, Jack.

What about him?" Jack looks at his bloody unconscious father lying on the ground. "Leave him," Ennis replies.

"We can't do that, look, we have to get your mother to a hospital and fast. Your bastard of a father'll be found," Ennis yells and starts the truck.

Jack looks once more back at his father and runs into the house and writes a note saying "Mother is ill went to take her to the hospital" and leaves it on the table. He rushes back to the truck, gets in and Ennis hightails it to the hospital.


	14. Chapter nine

Ennis drives as fast as the old rusted down truck would go, frequently looking over to Jack and Mrs. Twist, biting his lower lip when he notices that Mrs. Twist is still unconscious. It's been more or less five minutes, though he doesn't have a watch, but Ennis is still worried that Mrs. Twist isn't waking and no one knows why. It doesn't help that they keep getting drivers that think that 10 mph is against the law. Ennis cusses under his breath honks the horn at the slowpokes in front.

Ennis looks over to Jack; Jack looks straight at Ennis with such sad eyes Ennis has to take a second look.

This man doesn't look like his Jack. This Jack is Mrs. Twist's little boy - her only son - and the look that Jack's eyes are showing is haunting, the feeling that is seeping through Jack's once baby blues is pure sadness and fear; FEAR for what is to happen next. If Jack loses his mother, if Mr. Twist loses his wife…, Ennis shudders at the thought and decides to stay focused and with all his might see that that doesn't happen for all he can do is get her to the hospital hopefully in time and to be here for Jack when he needs him.

Ennis steps on the gas when finally the slowpoke driver turns off away from their direction.

"Jack," Ennis tries to get Jack's mind off of the situation when he notices that Jack has a death grip on his mother's hands. Jack looks over towards Ennis. He doesn't say anything. Ennis tries to think of something to talk about.

"Huh, funny, here I am trying to start a conversation with a silent Jack. Usually, Jack won't shut up and here I am having to get him to even say one word," Ennis at first smiles at the thought. "It's true, Jack can talk for hours, that's all I would hear, his chattering," but then Ennis's smile soon turns to a frown. "Funny how much I miss that right now. It would be music to my ears."

"Jack, why don't you tell me how you won your first prize belt buckle?" asks Ennis still keeping his eyes on the road.

The afternoon sun is beaming down on the surrounding land. "It's four blazes out here," Jack complains and rolls down his window.

"A complaining Jack," Ennis smiles like the heavens were shining down on him and just him. "There's my Jack," Ennis thinks. "So, Jack, are you gonna tell me the story?" asks Ennis wanting Jack to talk not only for him but also for Ennis as well.

"I'm not really in a talking mood right now, Ennis," Jack spits out, looking at Ennis.

"The way he said my name… such anger…" I didn't mean to sound insensitive. I just thought it would calm our nerves."

"You're a real thinker, Ennis," mumbles Jack. Ennis decides that talking isn't going to help, at least not with Jack as he is. Ennis rolls his window down and just focus on getting to the hospital.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack sits here holding his mothe's hands trying hard to not just burst into tears. He keeps a close look for any movement from his mother while occasionally looking over to Ennis or out the window.

Hundreds of thoughts and memories flood his senses, that's all he seems to think about. He can smell his mother's pies, the aroma flooding his nostrils and filling up the surrounding area of his childhood home. He can remember having to wait till dinner to taste the treat, which, for a little boy with a sweet tooth, was hard to do. His mother would let him steal a few pieces before dinner which would always make him smile. He can remember his first day at school coming home that afternoon crying in his room for not making any friends and how his mother overheard his crying and came to sit by him and as she holding his hand, she told him "It was your first day, honey. You wait, you're gonna be the most popular one in class, just let them get to know you and I'm sure they'll love you just like I do."

Jack begins to get misty-eyed when he looks over to his mother who has just opened her eyes.

"Mama," Jack hugs her neck and looks at Ennis with a smile and tears just beginning to fall.

Mrs. Twist sits up in the small space looking out into the sunlight. She rubs her forehead, pats Jack's hand and looks over toward Ennis and smiles.

"Mama, what happened?" Jack asks while rubbing his eyes. "Mommy, tell me what happened ..... ? Please, do you remember? Are you alright now?" asks Jack, concern in his voice.

" I ..... I don't know. I saw your father lying there… Is he alright?" Jack nods. "I can't believe you did that Ennis" Mrs. Twist scolds but the old man did deserve it, she admits to herself.

"Forget about him, damn," Jack yells. Ennis looks at Jack and Mrs. Twist lets go of his hand.

"I'm sorry but I'm more worried about you, Jack. I'm fine now, okay? I must've passed out that's all, I'm fine, let's go back home," Mrs. Twist says.

Ennis waits for Jack's answer as he turns into a side road and parks the car, still waiting for Jack's decision. Ennis turns off the truck and places his arms on the steering wheel.

"We are going to the hospital. I don't care if you are feeling better now. I want to find out why you passed out for," Jack says.

"Honey it was a shock to see your father like that. I don't need to go to any other place but home."

"Why don't you want to go?" Jack asks.

"'Cause there's nothing wrong," Mrs. Twist shouts. "I'm sorry, dear." She looks at Jack then at Ennis.

"We're going to the hospital. I left a note for dad, " Jack says while Ennis starts the truck and heads back out on the road. Mrs. Twist turns on the radio not wanting to go for there really is something wrong and she isn't ready for Jack to find out though he surely will now


	15. Chapter ten

Mr. Twist wakes, still lying where Ennis had left him. His face hurt more now than before. He knows he has a broken nose and probably some bruises to go with it. He wipes his bloody face with his shirt sleeve, but the blood is now dry so he sits up and slowly stands to his feet, a little dizzy, he walks over to the back door barely able to make it without falling down again, but he stumbles over there thinking to himself how stupid he is letting his pride speak for him. "I'm too old to be fighting with some young punk." He enters the house and wobbles over to the kitchen sink and runs the water over his hands then he splashes some on his face. He stands there for a few seconds then steps away from the sink and goes searching for a towel. He figures that Ennis had left Jack, too it; didn't bother him none he probably would've started another fight if they had stuck around. He's not the type of person to take a beating and just let it go. His pride, hell, his anger wouldn't let him and if you knew him you knew he had a lot of that.

He does wonder where his wife was off to thinking she was over at the neighbors' house. He goes back to cleaning himself and finding something to ease the pain that he is feeling so he gets a beer from the fridge and sits in the sitting room drinking his beer. He has a rag filled with ice cubes laying a top of his nose which is getting swollen. "Well, if that Ennis ain't good for nothing he can at least throw a punch," Mr. Twist thinks and gets up to get more ice.

He shuts the fridge door and walks over to the table to put the ice in the rag he sets the rag down and spreads it out then drops the ice cubes out of his shirt that he was carrying them in and wraps the rag around the ice cubes and begins to go sit back down when he looks over at the end of the table. Just a glance, then he stops, walks back over to the table and picks up the piece of paper that had caught his eye. He reads it, looks up, then reads it once more. He looks around the room looks at the door hoping he would see his wife perfectly fine smiling and walking towards him, wrapping her arms around him, casting out the anger that seemed to never leave him. Only her love, her love for him, their love shined through. "People wouldn't believe it even if they saw it; they'd just think I went insane but I've been feeling like this ever since she went to the hospital, I guess it was three months ago, and came back and said the doctor had bad news. He'd said she was ill and she would be getting worse as time went by. She cried, said she was scared. I didn't know what to do so I just put my arms around her kissed her cheek and said the three words that I admit should have been said to her more often and then she kissed me with more feeling behind that kiss than ever before. She hadn't kissed me like that since we were young and I forgot just how good being in love feels like. I forgot just how she feels, how her love makes me feel and I didn't feel so alone."

"She took my hand and lead me to our bedroom and we made love just like we were kids again and I held her and she held my love, my heart, we stayed just like that till the sun rose."

Mr. Twist prays for the first time in years. He gets down on his knees tears falling, he prays that it ain't too late for him to make up for all the lonely hurtful years.

He puts the note in his shirt pocket and grabs his coat and runs over to his truck, speeding out of the driveway like the devil was on his tail. He listens to the radio and every song that plays makes him think of past words said and past love made, so long ago now; how much things have changed; how they have changed; how he has changed from the boy who first saw her and fell in love with her. He would never have thought that he would turn into a man who was just like his daddy, one he swore he would never be. "But look at me now; I'm just as much like him as ever, probably worse. How did it ever come to be?" he wonders and turns the radio off. He wonders what his life would have been like, if he'd never turned into his father, what his relation with Jack would be, and as he is pondering on that, he is turning into the parking lot of the hospital.

He looks around the parking lot till he spots Ennis's truck. He parks two spaces down from Ennis for there just isn't any more free parking spaces. He gets out and runs to the entrance doors. He runs to the nurses' station but there is no one there so he looks around the waiting room when he sees Ennis sitting in one of the chairs. He is hunched over, biting on his fingernails, so he runs over to him and before he can even get control of his emotions, he yells at Ennis, asking where his wife is. Ennis stands up his knuckles bandaged and he looks sick with worry. Mr. Twist looks at Ennis and for a moment he feels something other than anger, but with Ennis not answering, Mr. Twist gets worried and pushes Ennis. Ennis falls back toward the wall and a painting falls and crashes to the floor by their feet, glass from the frame that the painting was in covers the floor. One of the nurses comes over cursing at the same time that Jack walks over from down the hall. Mr. Twist sees Jack and rushes over to him leaving Ennis with all the people staring at him.

"Where's your mother?" Mr. Twist asks Jack. Jack just looks at his father

"How could you start something here in the hospital while your wife's sick," Jack asks with tears falling down his face.

"I was just trying to get him to talk. He wouldn't talk .... How is she?" Mr. Twist asks.

"She's seeing the doctor right now; they haven't told us anything yet," Jack says and walks over to Ennis.

Jack takes a seat by Ennis while Mr. Twist tears a hole in the floor with his pacing back and forth. He eventually takes a seat by Jack and Ennis.

"I'm sorry for pushing you," Mr. Twist whispers. Ennis knowing how hard it was for him to say that just nods while Jack smiles.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink," asks Jack. Both shake their heads 'no'. When Jack gets back from the cafeteria, the doctor is talking to his dad so he runs over there.

When he gets there the doctor is walking away. "What did he say?" Jack asks. "Bad news," Ennis responds while Mr. Twist walks over to his chair, sits down and closes his eyes and prays while clutching in his hand a necklace, a heart shaped necklace that was his mother's. Jack looks over to Ennis and Ennis grabs Jack's hand holding it for all the world to see.


	16. Chapter 11

Jack stands leaning on the hospital wall while Ennis stands across him smoking a cigarette. Ennis looks at Jack trying to get a glimpse of what is going through Jack's mind.

He has been quiet since the doctor came with news on his mother's condition and Ennis was all quiet, but with Jack it's different. Jack's voice is soothing to Ennis; it makes him feel better, calmer and without it he is just a nervous wreck.

Ennis fumbles through his cigarette pack and pulls another cigarette from it. He nudges Jack. "Want one?" Ennis mumbles. Jack looks up from the sidewalk that he had been staring at since he got out here and looks at Ennis. He shakes his head then goes back to staring at the sidewalk trapped in his thoughts.

Ennis takes the cigarette and shakily puts it back in the pack but before he can put it in his shirt pocket where it belongs his nervousness and shaking hands make him drop the pack. Ennis tries to catch the cigarettes but misses 'em with just a inch or two; he just watches as the pack of cigarettes falls right into a puddle of water there on the sidewalk. Jack stares and Ennis cusses.

"Damn, that was my last pack damn… damn," curses Ennis. Jack looks at Ennis and smirks.

"Take it easy Ennis. It's just a pack of ciggs. It's not the end of the world," Jack says. Ennis kicks at the now ruined pack of ciggs and takes a breath. "Well…"

Jack pulls himself from off the wall and walks over to Ennis. "Well what?"

Ennis shrugs his shoulders and walks back into the hospital Jack following him two steps behind.

Ennis takes a seat and starts to bite his fingernails. Jack goes over to his father and kneels down beside him.

"Dad, you been sitting here on the floor like this for awhile. How about you come take a seat in one of the chairs? It'll be a lot more comfortable."

Mr. Twist looks up at his son and with watery eyes takes a hold of Jack and hugs him. Jack is shocked. He had never had his father hug him like this or at least not for a long, long time.

Ennis stands up and tries to get the attention of Jack and Mr. Twist.

"The doctor," Ennis whispers. Jack stands up at the same time as Mr. Twist.

"Well? How'd it go?"

"It went.... "

Jack is getting more nervous by the minute; the way the doctor is stalling is tearing Jack up.

"Well, what how did it go for god's sake?" Jack yells. Everyone turns to him and stares. "Sorry," Jack stammers.

The doctor waits a little scared of Jack's outburst and asks if he was through.

"Yes, sir, sorry 'bout that. I'm just… well, scared."

"I understand your mother's really a strong woman. I'm sure she can handle this and as for the surgery it went great. She should be taken down to the recovery room here in a few minutes and y'all can see her," the doctor smiles and walks over to the nurses' station.

"Well, that' great," Ennis says, no longer biting his fingernails down to the bone.

"Yep," Mr. Twist says and they both turn around looking for Jack.

Ennis spots Jack first heading outside so Ennis waves to Mr. Twist and runs over to catch up with Jack.

"What you coming out here for, bud?" Ennis asks, confused.

"I needed some fresh air. Got a problem with that?" Jack asks bitterly.

"What's wrong with you ...your mom's gonna be fine, the doc even said so," explains Ennis.

"Yeah, for how long, huh? How long will she be FINE!" yells Jack and he runs from Ennis going over to sit at a bench by himself. Ennis bites his thumbnail worried and confused. Today has been one of the most emotion-draining days of his life and as for Jack's behaviour, Ennis is bewildered by it. He doesn't understand why Jack is upset now after the doc said everything was fine. Mrs. Twist is a fighter, she's strong just like the doc said so what's up with Jack? Ennis gets more confused the more he thinks about it.

Ennis looks over at Jack who is sitting on the bench staring up at the clouds. Ennis kicks at the air and bites his thumbnail, more furious now.

Ennis slowly walks over to Jack knowing that Jack doesn't want him around but that doesn't keep his feet from walking over there and taking a seat by Jack.

"What do you want now? Can't you leave me alone?"

"You don't want me to do that, do ya?" Ennis asks.

"Yeah, I do Leave me the hell alone!" yells Jack. He stands up and walks back over to his original spot shaking his head and cussing. "Damn Ennis Del Mar won't leave a person be."

Ennis cusses and decides to just go back in the hospital. "Jack'll come around sooner or later. He just needs time alone that's all," Ennis says out loud.

Jack sits down on the concrete and watches the world not being able to decide how he feels about all this. This is getting very old and he can't put his finger on it but something is making him terribly aggravated. "Maybe ma will be alright," he thinks to himself. "Doctors just don't lie ....do they?" Jack shakes his head like some dog trying to get the water out of its ears. Jack rubs his hands down his face he just wished this day would be over.

Ennis watches Jack from one of the windows located in the waiting area. He is worried about Mrs. Twist, but as of right now all his concern is for one person: Jack Twist. The way Jack has been acting is just not himself, but come to think of it, Jack hasn't been acting like himself since the accident. Every now and again Jack seems to be getting far away from him, from everyone, and no one is able to reach him. "Maybe Jack needs help, maybe he has some problem," thinks Ennis. "Maybe that accident did more to him than just those bruises and broken bones," ponders Ennis. "Or maybe this is Jack now. I don't know, but I miss the old one," says Ennis in a mere whisper.


	17. Chapter 12

Ennis sits staring out the window at Jack who had now moved over to the curve of the sidewalk.

Mr. Twist was off getting coffee and Ennis was all alone with his thoughts and for Ennis that could be a bad thing. He had been trying to wrap his brain around why Jack was acting so unlike himself, unlike what Ennis knew of him to be. He wasn't the happy daydreaming fool that Ennis first fell in love with; he wasn't the young man that would fall flat on his ass to get a laugh out of Ennis; he wasn't the young man that caused so much difference in Ennis's life.

"I turned him away and yet he still kept coming back to me all those years I loved him and I still love him. I hope he knows that and hopefully always has," thought Ennis.

Ennis now saw another person in that place - a hardened cold battered man who looked older than his actual age. Ennis sits up and rushes over to the entrance nearly running into a couple walking into the hospital. Ennis stops to apologise and goes out to sit with Jack who is now throwing small pebbles across the road. Ennis leans over to get a look at Jack's face. He seems to be staring but not really seeing anything. It's like he is in some kind of trance and his mind is unable to break free and let him be himself; like some other person stole his body and he was trapped.

Ennis slowly lets his shoulder touch Jack's. Ennis thinks that Jack will look up at him or at least say something, but no, Jack's eyes are fixed on the view ahead. Ennis looks at the road and, not knowing what else to do, picks up a pebble and skips it across the road and watches it land into some bushes. Jack does the same. Suddenly they are caught in a battle of who could skip a pebble the farthest. Ennis didn't plan on coming out here and play some game, but if it got Jack a little out of his trance then he guessed that's what he should be doing.

Mr. Twist stares out the window watching the display of Ennis and Jack skipping pebbles. It seems to him that Jack is winning and he is surprised when he feels a slight smile forming on his usually mean face.

Ennis smiles and softly pushes Jack in the shoulder.

"Looks like you beat me, bud," says Ennis. Jack says something that Ennis doesn't quite hear, so Ennis leans to the side and whispers in Jacks ear "What did you say, bud?"

Usually the feel of Ennis's soft breathing and the sound of his soft whispers running in his brain sennds a shiver down his whole body, but instead of feeling his temperature rising and his pants getting tighter, he feels nothing.

If Ennis is bewildered by his behaviour, then Jack is just plain dumbfounded. It's his body, his emotions but it seems as they aren't. He has these feelings, he doesn't know why, and he can't stop himself from having them.

Mr. Twist walks out to where Ennis and Jack are sitting. "The doc came by and said that we could go and see your mother."

Jack nods his head, gets up, wipes his hands on the back of his pants and walks past Ennis and his father heading into the hospital.

Mr. Twist looks at Ennis and Ennis just shrugs his shoulders till he begins to head in as well followed by Mr. Twist.

Jack slowly opens the door to his mother's room afraid to step in and see his mother in such a fragile state, one that Jack had never seen her in.

Jack tiptoes to a chair and takes a seat not saying anything for if his mother is asleep, he doesn't want to wake her, she'd need all the rest she could get and once she gets home, she'll never stop; she'll either be baking or cleaning even though the doc told her to take it easy but mother isn't was one to take it easy.

Jack sits and looks at his mother, he feels his eyes watering and he wipes his hands at his face, fighting back the tears. He begins to feel overwhelmed, he suddenly sits up and runs out the room knocking a nurse down. Jack looks back but doesn't turn around to help her back up to her feet. The nurse curses and yells at him to watch where he's going. Mr. Twist and Ennis are standing ten feet away when they notice the whole thing. Ennis walks over to the nurse and helps her to her feet, apologizes for Jack and runs the direction that Jack has run off to.

Back in the room Mrs. Twist turns her head feeling that someone is watching, but by the time her heads turns, the person has already walked out the door. Thinking that it was someone who had the wrong room, she closes her eyes and drifts back into a deep sleep.

Jack runs to the back of the hospital and kneels over out of breath. Ennis has seen Jack and so he runs around the corner before he sees him disappear. Once Ennis rounds the corner, he sees Jack still kneeled over trying to catch his breath.

"Jack ! What the hell is wrong with you running away like this, knocking down that poor woman and not even giving her an apology or helping her to her feet? That's not like you, Jack. You'd never do that."

"I DON'T NEED A LECTURE!" Jack yells. "I think I'd know what I'd do or not."

Ennis walks to Jack and they stand face to face. "Really? 'cause that was not the Jack I know back there."

Jack watches Ennis walking off. Suddenly Jack is alone and for the first time today he doesn't want to be.

Jack not wanting to go back in that room, not wanting to go back in that hospital, he stays out back hoping that given a long enough time Ennis will come back out here to find him.

Ennis walks over closer to the bed. Mrs. Twist pats the chair beside the bed so Ennis sits down in it.

"How you feeling?"

"I'm just sleepy, that's all, I'll be fine once I get some rest."

"Yeah, I know you'll be."

Mrs. Twist looks around the dark room. "You need some light?" Ennis asks and stands up and walks over to the window. He pulls back the blinds to let some light in. "That's better," says Ennis when the light fills up the small room and makes it a whole heck of a lot easier to see.

"Where's Jack?" Mrs. Twist asks.

Ennis looks out the window and sees a small figure down below thinking it's Jack. Ennis shakes his head and answers her question. "He'll be up here soon. He just went to get some stuff," Ennis lies.

"Oh," Mrs. Twist says, sounding a little heartbroken. Mr. Twist gets up and stands beside her, takes her hand and kisses it. Ennis silently watches the display of affection and then slowly walks out the room leaving the two some time alone together.

Jack stands there watching the passing cars coming and going. He could go for a cigarette and as if God was answering his prayer, a man comes and stands beside Jack, lifting a cig to his lips. Jack politely asks if the man has a cig to spare. The man looks over Jack and throws the whole pack at him. "I didn't want the whole pack."

"Keep it, I need to quit anyways."

"Well thanks, I guess," Jack takes one of them out the pack and puts the rest of the pack in his back pocket.

"You look like you had a rough day."

"I've had a one hell of a rough day, hell yes," Jack answers back.

"Ummm," the man says and nods his head.

"I've had a rough life," Jack whispers." The man stares at Jack.

"Did you say something?"

"Nah."

Jack looks at the man he is wearing an all-white outfit, sorta like what the doctors wear.

"You work here?" Jack asks when his curiosity gets the better of him.

The man laughs and answers. "No, just came by to visit someone."

"So why you wearing that?"

"I just got off work, this place is on my way home so I stopped."

"Oh, where you work at?"

The man looks at Jack. "It's not too far from here."

"Okay." Jack sensing that the man doesn't want to tell him, just let it go.

The man throws the cigarette down to the ground, stomps on it with his shoe and stares up at the sky. "Looks like it's gonna rain again," the man says.

Jack looks up at the same spot that the man has been looking at. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, I'd better go. If I don't get home soon, the wife'll kill me."

Jack fakes a laugh and nods his head. "Thanks for the pack of cigs."

"You're very welcome," the man says and extends his hand for Jack to shake. The man walks off but not before yelling back to Jack "You need someone to talk to again just call me."

Jack thinks that's strange till he notices a thin piece of paper that the man must've slipped in his hand while they were saying goodbye. Jack looks back to where the man was walking off to, then takes another look at the card and flips it over it. Apparently it's a business card. It has the man's name and number, even his address, but not where he works, which seemed odd but whatever. Jack looks at the man's name "Alex T." Jack wonders what the T stands for but he sees Ennis walking over to his trunk. So Jack sticks the card in his back pocket along with the pack of cigs and runs over to Ennis.

"Look, I'm sorry I've been really stupid today," Jack whispers to Ennis.

"It's okay, I understand."

"Let's go see your mom. Then we'll go home and talk some more."

"'K," Jack replies and they head off back into the hospital.

Twenty minutes later

"You get some rest now, mom, okay? And I'm sorry I wasn't here to see you sooner, but I had some really important things to take care of," Jack says and kisses his mother on her forehead. He waves to his dad and heads to Ennis's truck where Ennis is waiting.


	18. Chapter 13

Ennis starts the truck up and waits for Jack to get inside. "Hurry up, Jack," says Ennis impatiently when Jack stands there with the trunk door open but not getting in. Jack stares up at the hospital hoping that the doctors were right about his mother and she'll be alright like they claim. Ennis honks the horn which makes Jack jump and he hurries inside the truck before Ennis has a fit.

"Can't a guy having a moment to think? Jeez!"

"You can think in the truck, you know, I'm running the engine wasting all my gas"

"Okay, okay, okay, and besides if you needed a moment every time you thought of something you'd never being doing anything else," Ennis jokes.

"Very funny, En" Jack fakes a laugh and puts his seatbelt on.

"You know, we could stop by the cafe get something for dinner," says Ennis.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Jack replies.

Ennis leans over the steering wheel, tries to get a glimpse of Jack's face but Jack is looking out the window so that did nothing but keep his eyes off the road so Ennis asks Jack to look at him when they get to a stoplight.

"What for?" Jack asks.

"'Cause I wanna see your pretty face, that's what for" Ennis says quietly.

Jack slowly turns around to face Ennis, "There!" Jack nearly shouts.

Ennis turns to look at Jack; knowing that he is hurting makes Ennis feel awful. He just wants to get to see Jack smile or laugh sometime today even if it was only for a second. No matter what Ennis has to do to make it happen, he just wants to see the Jack he knows and loves just for once today.

Jack waits impatiently for Ennis to have enough of just staring at him. He feels like he is under some microscope or something, it makes him feel uncomfortable and feeling that way with Ennis is something weird and something that has never happened before.

Ennis sees the runlight switch to green and he speeds down the road turning in the wrong lane.

"What are you doing, Ennis? This is not the way to the café. Ain't nothing down this way."

"I know," Ennis says.

"What have you got up your sleeve, Ennis Del Mar," Jack wonders.

"You'll see. You will see," Ennis mumbles.

When they get to wherever Ennis has planned to go, the car screeches to a halt, Ennis unbuckles and turns off the engine.

Jack looks around. "You want to be in a field of nothing? Why are we here?" Jack asks aggravated with Ennis's so called game.

Ennis reaches across Jack and undoes his seatbelt. "Come here," Ennis tells Jack in a husky voice. Jack is still aggravated but does as told and follows Ennis to the back of the truck. Ennis climbs into the back bed of the truck and reaches out his hand to Jack. Jack doesn't take it but instead he gets up in the back bed with no help.

"I'm not a girl, I don't need help getting up in the back of a truck," Jack says in an angry tone.

"Okay," whispers Ennis.

Ennis begins to take off his coat when Jack says that he wants to know what they're doing there.

"Well I'm gonna be doing you here in few minutes," Ennis says.

"Oh really?" Jack says with a raised eyebrow, "and what makes you think that I'm in the mood, huh?"

"Well, I can always make you get in the mood," Ennis says still stripping his clothes off. Jack laughs and throws himself on to Ennis kissing his chest and biting his neck.

Ennis and Jack lay quiet listening to the storm clouds settling in the west. "It'll get here before tonight's over with," Jack says still naked and laying his head on Ennis's bare naked chest looking up at the clouds over head.

"Yep," Ennis agrees with a dumb grin plastered on his face.

"We'd better get back home before the storm start, " Ennis says and grabs his and Jack's clothes. Jack reluctantly gets off Ennis and grabs his clothes, throws 'em on and jumps down out of the truck Ennis following shortly afterwards.

Once they get home Jack yells at Ennis that he is gonna get a shower and he runs off into the house, while Ennis stays behind cleaning up the back of the truck as best as he can.

When Ennis is through, he goes inside and knocks on the bathroom door. He hears no answer, nothing except for Jack singing at the top of his lungs. Ennis smiles and goes inside quietly and starts picking up the clothes that Jack has thrown on the floor. Ennis is gonna wash them together with his tonight before going to bed so he grabs them and goes downstairs to the laundry room, drops the armful of clothes to his feet, turns the washer on and strips off his dirty clothes. He throws 'em in there, then picks Jack's clothes piece by piece checking them for anything that Jack may have left in them. When Ennis gets to Jack's pants, he finds a pack of cigarettes and throws them atop the dryer, then reaches in the pocket again and pulls out a card. He flips it over and reads it. He gets suspicious so, knowing Jack is still and probably will still be in the shower for awhile, he goes to call the number that is shown on the card but all he gets is an answering machine.

"Dr. Alex T. is not in. If you would like to make an appointment or cancel or change one, then leave your name and number and he'll gladly get back to you. His office hours are between 8:oo am to 6:oo pm Mondays through Fridays." A nice sounding woman gave the message and Ennis looks up to the second floor like he can see through walls and see Jack and know what this is about. Ennis is worried - he doesn't know why Jack has this doctor's card on him. The doctor isn't his mother's so why would he need it or let alone have it? Ennis becomes curious and angry for what this could be. Is Jack cheating on him, for God's sake? Ennis knows that Jack can't keep it in his pants maybe, but Ennis isn't sure it could be nothing. "Maybe it's Jack's doctor," Ennis thought. "Yeah, that's probably what it is. But what kind of doctor is he?"

Ennis is indeed worried by all the possibilities that this card holds but he is going to find out tomorrow. He'll call and find out exactly what he needs to know.


	19. Chapter 14

Ennis gets up around six in the morning knowing Jack won't be up anytime soon and could sleep through a tornado, so he won't have to worry about anything other than finding out who this Alex fella is. He tiptoes out of the room though just in case Jack wakes up, which is very doubtful. Jack never wakes up this early. No! At least not unless he has to.

Ennis holds the card in one hand and the phone in the other. He dials the number slowly making sure he gets each and every number right - he doesn't want to waste any time or any electricity for some wrong number. He waits nervously for someone to pick the phone up, after four rings he gives up and is getting ready to hang up when a soft-spoken woman picks up the phone and hurriedly says 'hello'.

"Uh, hello," Ennis says slowly, thinking the woman has already hung up, but is waiting on the other side of the line.

"Yes sir", she speaks.

"Um," Ennis said trying to find the words to say.

"Do you need to make an appointment?" the woman asks.

"Um, well, ma'm I, um…," Ennis stumbles on his words not knowing what to say to get the answers he wants.

"Sir…?"

"Yes, I'm here," Ennis speaks up.

"Look, how about I make you an appointment for today at 12.00 noon, is that alright?"

"Won't he be at lunch?"

"No," the woman says and giggles. "I'll see you then. Do you need directions on how to get here?"

"No, ma'm, I think I can find it just fine, but thanks anyway. I guess I'll see you then," Ennis says shyly, while still holding the phone confused on how he just got an appointment to see some total stranger that had something to do with his Jack.

Ennis places the phone back on the receiver and goes back to bed.

At noon

Ennis hurries and gets dressed as Jack is slowly waking up. Usually they'd be up at least at 9:00 a.m., but after their vigorous exercise last night Ennis wore Jack out. Jack opens one eye and looks around the room for Ennis. He sees Ennis dressed and brushing his teeth. "Where are you going to?" Jack asks.

"Just gonna go get us some lunch."

"I can go with you, just give me a minute to fully wake up," Jack says eagerly with a slight yawn.

"No!" Ennis yells, "I want to go get it myself, you stay in bed get some more rest, okay?"

"Why can't I come?" Jack asks with hurt in his eyes. Ennis looks at Jack and turns away holding his focus down to the floor. He doesn't have an excuse to keep Jack here so he says that it is a surprise and leaves it at that.

Before Jack can get up let alone say another word, Ennis is out the door and on his way to the appointment.

It takes a few minutes and a couple wrong turns but Ennis finally reaches the parking lot to the building. It is pretty small combined with a bunch of other buildings. At first Ennis can't tell which building is the one he should go in but then he sees a little sign of one of the doors reading Dr. Alex T.'s office.

Ennis stands there looking around and then he slowly reaches for the door knob when someone suddenly steps out the building bumping into Ennis.

"Watch where you're going," the man shouts. Ennis wants to correct him so bad and say that he is the one who needs to watch where he is going, that he ran into Ennis, but he knows that'll just start trouble and he has more important things to worry about right now. So, with that Ennis just grunts and goes into the building but not before flipping off the man who is now getting into his trunk.

Ennis steps into the office and goes up to the reception desk.

"Can I help you?" The woman asks.

"Uh, yes, I have an appointment."

"Oh, yes, I remember you," the woman says and smiles. Ennis blushes and says 'yes'.

"I need to know your name for the record."

"Ennis Del Mar, ma'm."

"Okay, well, take a seat and the doctor will be here shortly to see you."

Ennis nods his head and thanks the woman then takes a seat.

Ennis chews his thumbnail waiting for this Alex fellow.

After a few minutes

The doctor calls in and calls Ennis over to his office. Ennis gets up and walks into the office. The doctor is looking at some folders and when he looks up he tells Ennis to take a seat. Ennis takes a seat and waits for the doctor to say something else. Alex looks up from his papers folds them neatly and stakes them up on top of another pile of papers.

"So, Mr. Mar…"

"Del Mar, sir, it's Del Mar."

"Okay, sorry, Mr. Del Mar, what is the reason of your being here today?"

"Um, well, I… um, I came here for a friend, Jack Twist."

The man looks sharply and stares at Ennis.

"Jack Twist, huh?"

"Yes, you gave him your card; I came here on his behalf I wanted to learn some things that Jack couldn't tell me."

The doctor listens intently as if what Ennis is saying is the most important thing in the world. He nods his head while listening to Ennis.

"I was wondering though what kind of a doctor you are anyways. It doesn't look like this is a regular doctor's office," Ennis speaks low and looks around shyly trying to afford the stare of this stranger.

"I'm a shrink,"

"Oh," Ennis looks at the desk and sees a photo of the doctor and a very pretty young lady. Apparently he is married and that makes Ennis feel a whole lot better.

"I saw Jack at the hospital and he seemed really down since I deal with a lot of people that suffer from depression I gave him my card hoping that he'd contact me. I've seen a lot of people commit suicide 'cause they had no one to talk to."

"Oh, do you think Jack has those feelings?" Ennis asks barely able to spit out the words.

"Um, no, I don't know. I only talked to him for a few minutes I barely asked any questions."

As soon as that is said, shouts begin being heard from outside the office. The woman apparently is trying to handle a patient that is having a fit over not being able to come inside the office.

Ennis looks over his shoulder trying to hear the commotion. All of a sudden, the door comes flying open and the woman apologizes for the intrusion.

Ennis turns to face the person who came storming into the door when he notices. It's .........


	20. Chapter 15

Ennis turns and looks at the person storming into the room.

"How dare you try to let that woman take my kids? They're mine, not hers."

Ennis stands up and looks at the woman who apparently has an issue with the doctor.

Ennis clears his throat after getting a good look at who that woman is. "Miss Gabby?" Ennis says.

Miss Gabby suddenly turns away from her ex-husband and looks over to the direction her name is being called. "Ennis, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," Dr. Alex T says bitterly.

"Oh don't talk to me about what I'm doing here. You know why I'm here, damn it! Those children are mine - not yours and your dumb two-timing, family-wrecking tramp of a wife's. I don't want my kids around her, you got that mister? Or I'll take them from you and the only time you'll see them is when they're at my house!" Miss Gabby yells across the table.

Dr. Alex T moves around some papers on his desk and calls his security guard.

Ennis stands there watching the scene unfold and can't believe that those two used to be married.

Miss Gabby stands there catching her breath and having an angry stare contest with her ex-hubby.

The security guard finally makes it to the room and stands in the doorway waiting for instructions.

"Please show this lady the way out and be gentle about it, okay?" Dr. Alex T. says while rubbing his forehead and popping an aspirin in his mouth with his other hand.

The secretary guard goes and grabs Miss Gabby's arm and tells her to come with him.

Ennis stands there clinching his fist and is ready to take down this guy, if he is even remotely rough with his friend.

Miss Gabby is angry and upset. "If he thinks he can just send some guard here to keep me away from him and keep me from stating my problem, then he should think again," she thinks and then pushes the guard's hand away from her.

She walks over to the desk and grabs the picture of her ex and his new wife and throws it towards the window. Ennis steps to the side knocking into the bookshelf when he is nearly hit by the flying picture frame.

Dr. Alex stands up swinging his chair over and starts yelling for her to get out pointing his finger at the door.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch," Miss Gabby says.

Ennis tries not to snicker at the comment Miss Gabby made.

Miss Gabby walks closer to Ennis. "I'm leaving. Just got one more thing to take care of."

Ennis fiddles with his coat sleeve when Miss Gabby comes face to face with him.

"What you doing, Gabby?" Ennis stumbles with the words unsure of what is going on and what's gonna happen next.

"You'll see," Miss Gabby whispers and then grabs Ennis by the coat collar making him kneel down closer to her level and she places her lips onto his, sticking her tongue down his throat.

Ennis gently pushes Miss Gabby off him and wipes his mouth with his hand. "What are you doing?"

Miss Gabby smiles. "What I've been wanting to do since I meet you," she says and then proudly walks out without any trouble or help from the guard.

Dr. Alex stands there mouth wide open in shock of the kiss that he just witnessed. He begins to get angry at Gabby for doing that and in his face, at that.

Ennis is stunned and feels guilty. He hopes Jack will never find this out, though Ennis didn't have anything to do with it. Hell, it was unwanted, but still Ennis didn't like the feeling that he cheated on Jack. So Ennis stumbles over to the door.

"Look doc, I don't think I can do this right now. Umm, I just gotta go."

"Yeah I think that'll be for the best, too," Dr. Alex says.

Ennis walks out the office and the building still feeling woozy over all that has happened.

Ennis gets in his truck and drives toward home and Jack, when he remembers his excuse so he turns around and heads to town to get some lunch and something for Jack as a surprise.

Ennis heads into the parking lot of a local family cafe one that he and Jack have been to many times.

Ennis sits down at the table and waits for the waitress.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

Ennis looks up at the waitress and looks at her name tag – Ennis doesn't have a clue as to why. "I guess some stupid tricks of Jack's are rubbing off on me," Ennis smirks thinking about it.

Jack would always call the waitress by her name every single time. Ennis gets out of his thoughts and gets back to ordering the food.

"Yeah, um, Sara. Can I get two orders of steak, mashed potatoes one buttered and a little bowl of peas and carrots please?"

Sara writes down the order. "Okay sir, would you like rolls or biscuits with that?"

Ennis thinks about it for a second wondering what Jack would want.

"Biscuits, ma'm, please."

"Okay sir, anything to drink?"

"No ma'm, that's all."

Sara writes down the rest of the order and begins to walk off.

"Um, ma'm," Ennis says

Sara stops and turns back to Ennis

"Yes sir?"

Ennis nudges the young girl over. Sara walks back over to his table.

"I was wondering if you know any place that's good for getting a surprise gift for your love," Ennis whispers.

"Oh!" Sara says with a smile.

"Um, let me think, there's a nice little shop up the road, nice place, real nice selection and pretty cheap too."

"Okay," Ennis says and looks out the window and points, "just up the road."

"Yes sir, I'll write it down for you," Sara says and goes to put in the order.

Ennis sits there waits and tries to think of something to get Jack. "What would Jack want or like?" Ennis wonders.

Sara comes back over with the food and the directions to the shop and thanks Ennis for stopping by.

Ennis thanks her for the information to the shop and gets in his truck hoping that he'll decide on what to get Jack once there.


	21. Chapter 16

Ennis pulls up at a little old mom & pop gift shop, one of those old store fronts that look like something out of an old western movie,

Ennis parks the truck and walks slowly strolling basically into the shop looking every so often in the shop window for anything that he thinks Jack would like.

He opens the door looking at the sign hanging on the door window "no cowboy boots, no cowboy hats, no service." Ennis smirks and heads further into the doorway. The bell rings telling the owners that they have a customer.

The owner is an old man with a fairly long gray beard all dressed in cowboy attire.

"Howdy," the old man says.

Ennis nods his head with a smile when he notices an old lady fairly the same age as the man, "probably a few years' difference", thinks Ennis coming out of the back room.

"Hello, sir, may either of us help you?" she asks.

"Oh no, ma'm, just gonna look around a bit," Ennis says and waits for a reply.

"Okay, well, you need anything we'll be back here," the man says and heads to the backroom with his wife his hand resting on her shoulder.

Ennis nods his head and looks around. He sees a bunch of knickknacks but nothing of interest to him. He brings his head forward leaning somewhat to see what the old couple are doing. They were sitting down watching TV – it sounded like Family Feud was on - they sat there holding hands, the wind from the fan blowing the old woman's gray hair out of her hairclip. Ennis smiles hoping that that would be him and Jack at that age… well, sorta.

He goes back to searching for the perfect gift for Jack. He really wants something good.

He looks around and finds something that Jack might like. He looks at the price tag and checks his cash.

Ennis frowns - he doesn't have enough. He goes over to the counter and rings the bell on the counter.

"Yes, sir. You find anything?" the old woman asks.

" Well, yes, ma'm, but I seem not to have enough money with me. I was wondering if by chance you could hold it for me and I'll come back later today with more money," Ennis says out of breath. He still isn't used to talking so much.

"Well, yes, sir. Is this what you want me to hold for ya?" the lady asks.

"Yes, ma'm," Ennis says.

"Okay I can do that, I guess, we're see you later today."

"Yes, ma'm," Ennis says and tips his hat to the old woman, sure that Jack would love the gift. He walks out and heads to his truck.


	22. Chapter 17

Jack sits outside on the back porch waiting for Ennis to arrive back home.

Ennis is driving on the dirt road towards their house sure that Jack is gonna love the gift.

Jack hears Ennis's truck. He could recognise from it a mile away.

Ennis parks in the driveway and gets out holding the food in one hand while hiding Jack's gift behind his back with his other hand.

Jack rounds the corner of the house and sees Ennis standing in front of the porch.

"Hey," Jack says and goes to grab the food from Ennis's hand.

"Hey you," Ennis whispers and kisses Jack on the lips.

"What you got?" Jack asks while trying to peek around Ennis's body frame.

"NO!" Ennis says while trying to move from Jack's vision.

"Oh, come on, Ennis, I'm gonna find out sooner or later," Jack says. "What did you get me?" says Jack.

"Oh, okay, Mister Nosy," Ennis says and holds out the gift in front of him.

"Oh!" Jack whispers.

Ennis looks into Jack's eyes expecting a smile and a hug, but instead of seeing glimmer and shine on those blue pools he so loves, he sees tears streaming that handsome face.

"Do you like?" Ennis asks.

"Oh…um ..... excuse me," Jack whispers already running away from Ennis.

Ennis drops the gift and rushes after Jack.

"Jack what the hell's the matter?" Ennis yells while looking around for Jack.

Jack has gone in the house through the back door and after dropping the food down on the kitcen table is now grabbing his coat and shoving it roughly on almost ripping the worn fabric. He looks for his car keys and runs out to his truck. He lays his head down on the steering wheel till he sees Ennis coming back towards the front of the house.

"Jack!" Ennis yells when he notices Jack sitting in his truck, the engine running.

"I'm sorry Ennis but I can't stay here, not right now," Jack whispers as if Ennis could hear a word, "maybe I'm just saying it out loud to assure myself keep me from feeling quilty."

Jack pulls the parking brake and puts it in drive. He looks at Ennis and then before losing his nerve pulls out of the driveway.

"Jack!" Ennis screams, "what did I do?" Ennis whispers.

He runs after Jack till he can't run anymore and then he kneels down on the ground and holds his head down on the dirt.

"I don't understand what just happened. What did I do?" Ennis whispers to himself, the tears forcing themselves out of Ennis's eyes.

Jack turns the radio on and blares it as loud as it would go trying to drown out his thoughts, his guilt, trying to drown out everything.

What is wrong with me?" Jack whispers and heads to the liquor store.

Ennis stays outside till it begins to pour rain much like his eyes pouring out tears pouring out his emotions, his pain, his heartbreak seeing his Jack storming out away from him, from their home that he so longed for all those years to have and now he was the one that left it all. Ennis is the one still standing, waiting

for Jack to make up his mind and come home where he belongs.

It's like Jack doesn't want this anymore.

Ennis stumbles into the house his clothes soaked, but he doesn't take them off. Hell, he doesn't even dry them off.

He goes to bed and lays uncovered just looking at the ceiling waiting for his Jack to return hoping that he will, but he just isn't so sure. "The way Jack has been since what happened to him just isn't him, it's not my Jack," Ennis keeps repeating over and over in his head.

Jack gets in his truck leaving the door wide open while opening the cap of his bottle of whiskey.

He downs it and then drops it to the floor. He goes to grab another bottle when it slips from his clumsy and drunken hands and falls to the floor and smashes to pieces.

Jack curses and kicks at the pieces of broken glass.

Jack storms out of the parking area and rushes on to the highway nearly being hit by another car on the road.

The road is wet and slippery, any little skid and Jack could be in an accident but the way Jack has been feeling, an accident would be welcome right now.

He is not so sure if he wants to live in this cruel world anymore.

He doesn't want to leave or cause Ennis pain, but, Hell, he is doing it anyway, so him no longer being here would probably be for the better.

Jack grabs his last bottle and swerves on the road when he goes to open the bottle.

He nearly runs into a ditch when he slugs it down not even watching the road.

He eventually stops and sits on the side of the highway, sobering up or just too tired to drive, which one he can't decide on.

Ennis watches out the window and sees a flash of headlights.

He runs out in the pouring rain but he doesn't bother to grab his coat.

Jack stumbles out of the truck and falls in the mud.

Ennis walks up to him and can smell the booze all over him.

It isn't till he gets face to face with Jack that he sees Jack bleeding from his forehead, his hands all cut up.

"What happened?" Ennis asks while picking Jack up and leading him towards the house.

They head indoors and Ennis grabs a blanket and wraps it around Jack's body.

"What happened, Jack?" Ennis asks sternly while looking into Jack's eyes.

Jack curls up into the blanket and closes his eyes.

Ennis sits and stares till he goes into the kitchen to get the first aid kit.

When he reaches Jack again, he sees that Jack has fallen asleep. He walks up to him and brushes his hair out of his face and makes sure he is covered fully with the blanket.

He goes and puts the first aid kit on the kitchen table and turns on the heat.

He then goes and grabs a pillow and another blanket and places them on the floor beside Jack's chair. He lays his head down on the pillow and covers himself with the blanket.

He lies there till the morning, every so often getting up to check on Jack.


	23. Chapter 18

Jack wakes up with a major hangover. He sits up and sees Ennis lying down on the floor, sweat pouring from his forehead - it was ten blazes in here. Jack stands up a little wobbly and walks to the kitchen. He cuts off the heat and then walks over to the fridge. He grabs a carton of milk hoping that it would help. He gets a glass and pours the milk into it, he gets some aspirin from off the top of the fridge and pops it into his mouth. He downs the half glass of milk like he hasn't had something to drink in weeks. When he's through, he places the milk back into the fridge and walks back over to where Ennis is now stirring.

"Jack, is that you?" Ennis asks.

"Yes, Ennis, it's me," Jack says.

"Are you ok?" Ennis asks.

"Yes, don't I look like I am?" Jack asks aggravated.

"Well, you didn't last night," Ennis replies while sitting up then standing. He can hear his old bones creaking from the movement.

"What happened last night?" Ennis asks.

"I got a call yesterday afternoon. It was my father. He called to tell me my....," Jack runs up the stairs without finishing his explanation.

"Jack!" Ennis yells and runs after Jack.

Jack kneels down, his back lying on the bathroom wall.

"Jack what did your father say that's got you so upset?" Ennis asks.

"He said my.... mom died Ennis," Jack says through cries of pain.

"What! She was fine the last time we saw her," Ennis says confused.

"I know, but something happened, I don't know but she's gone now and it doesn't matter," Jack yells running out of the room knocking Ennis into the bathroom door.

Ennis stands stunned for a few seconds till he runs after Jack.

He finds Jack out on the back porch. He is sitting down his hands covering his face, wet tears falling down his face onto his shirt.

"Jack, I don't know what to say to do to make this better," Ennis confesses.

"You can't, Ennis, just leave me alone for awhile," Jack requests and looks into Ennis's eyes. "I need to be alone," Jack whispers while Ennis slowly backs away and into the house.

When the time comes that Jack needs someone to hold him to talk to him to listen or to just be there with him for him, then Ennis will be there - till then Ennis has to wait.

waiting until that time comes…

They would get through this just like all the others, they just needed each other and they would eventually be fine.


	24. Chapter 19

Jack sits down in the rocking chair waiting for Ennis to come back from the store.

It has been months since Jack's mother passed. Jack had taken it hard but he was able to get through it with Ennis by his side though it was days before Jack had let Ennis even close to him. But eventually Jack let Ennis hold him and they had talked and though Jack thought it wouldn't do any good to talk about his mother now that she was gone and wouldn't ever be coming back, he was surprised to find out that talking about his mom with Ennis who had lost both his parents while still at an early age when a boy needed his parents, made him feel more at ease and he felt lucky to have had his mother with him as long as he did.

Thinking about Ennis and losing his parents it really made Jack feel bad for Ennis. He had made a plan to take Ennis to a spot where you could place flowers and things for people that had passed but didn't have a grave, for those grieving family people to go to, so Jack had told Ennis that he wanted to take him there. Ennis had thought it was stupid and just a waste of time but Jack was not giving in. He kept begging Ennis over and over about it.

When finally Ennis caved in and they went Jack had brought flowers to place on his mother's grave. He handed Ennis the flowers that Jack had got to place on the marker that Jack had bought to put in a private area of the cemetery, the marker that Ennis had no idea of. When they got to the area there was a large tree with beautiful pink and purple flowers on it. It was spring and the flowers were really in bloom and the whole area seemed beautiful more than the other areas. It seemed like this place was cut off guarded from all the ants, bugs, overgrown grass and other things that you'd see in the other parts of the cemetery. This area seemed like a beautiful garden, there wasn't just the big tree with all the colorful flowers but there were stone blocks leading over to the marker and other beautiful flowers and bushes that were groomed nicely around the whole area. Jack and Ennis take a look at a bench close by the marker.

"Look here, Ennis," Jack says as he looks down at the bench. There is a carving of a heart with the initials "J.T & E.M 4EVER."

Ennis comes around and gazes at the letters, a showing of their love right here where anyone could see, but Ennis doesn't go crazy worrying what if someone saw this, no, he is past that way, past what he felt is pride. "Thanks Jack, I know you had to be the one who did that."

Jack doesn't say anything just smiles. "Come over here."

Ennis hears Jack calling again, he walks over to the marker.

"I didn't know your mom and dad's name so I just put 'Del Mar, Mother and Father of Ennis Del Mar, Rest In Peace'."

"I can read, Jack Twist" Ennis whispers.

Jack hits Ennis on the shoulder telling him he is going to his mother's grave to place on it the flowers he had brought.

Ennis nods his head and looks at Jack walking away. When he can no longer see Jack, Ennis kneels down at the marker, brushes leaves off it and chokes back tears. "Thanks Jack," Ennis whispers.

He places the flowers on top of the marker and stays sitting there for a few seconds before wiping his eyes and standing up. He takes one last look at the marker and then walks off to find Jack and to thank him for all that he's done in his life.

Jack has dozed off and is awaken by a truck's headlights. Jack gets up from the rocking chair and walks out the door.

"Ennis, what took you so long?" Jack asks.

"Sorry, just the little guy here wanted to stop every six seconds," Ennis explains.

"Oh come here, bud, let's put you to bed, huh? It's past your bedtime," Jack says as the little boy that they have adopted earlier in the year about 2 months after Jack's mother passed jumped up in his arms and kisses Jack on the cheek. "Okay daddy."

Jack and Ennis were still having a rough time with Jack's dad. He felt angry at Jack for not coming around anymore after Mrs Twist passed away but Jack just ignored him. He was living his sweet life and no one especially his father was gonna ruin it, not after everything that they'd had to go through to get where they were now.

Jack and Ennis did have one thing that saddened them, one thing that they wished they could change and that was Miss Gabby. They had seen her a few weeks after Jack told Ennis about his mother dying and it hadn't gone well. Miss Gabby had been upset and crying when she had come by at a time when Jack was still struggling with his own emotions and couldn't deal with someone else crying and being upset. So Ennis had talked to her but she kept asking for Jack. Ennis kept telling her Jack wasn't up to talking: "He's taken his mother's death very hard and he doesn't need no more stress added to what he's already dealing with."

Miss Gabby would've understood if she was herself but she had been threatened by her husband who wanted to take the kids away from her because of her drinking. She wanted to get Jack to go to a therapy session with her so he could talk her husband out of taking her kids away. After a few minutes of begging Ennis to see Jack, she had pushed Ennis and stormed down the road never to be seen or heard from again. Neither Jack nor Ennis ever found out what had happened to her, just that she had never come home that day, that night or the months that followed.

After all that, Jack and Ennis, even though they had disappointments, hardships, worries and so many fights, they still were happier than they'd ever been before. Adding Little Willard to their family had been the best idea that Ennis had ever had.

They were great at being a family. Every Sunday they'd drop Willard off to Sunday school and Jack and Ennis would take the time to get some extra work done around the house and some much needed time to themselves.

At night, they'd share the house duties. Each night one of them would cook something and if Ennis cooked, then Jack cleaned the dishes afterwards and in return Ennis would make sure Willard got a bath and then Jack would tug Willard into bed and Ennis would sit on the side of the bed near Willard. Jack would read Willard a book before he'd slip off into dreaming. Ennis loved to just sit and listen to Jack read this book no matter how boring it would be. Jack would read it like it was the most interesting story ever written. Truthfully Ennis just loved to listen to Jack's voice.

"…and they lived happily ever after" Jack says as he brushes Willard's hair out his eyes. After finishing the book, he kisses Willard on the cheek and walks out the room, Ennis following shortly after giving Willard his own goodnight kiss on the cheek. "Good night buddy," whispers Ennis before shutting the door slowly and walking to his and Jack's room.

"Nice story, Jack," Ennis says as he walks over to Jack wrapping his arms around him, while Jack sits on the bed.

"Thanks, do you think we'll have our happily-ever-after, Ennis?" Jack asks.

"You know, I know nothing about that kinda stuff, come on," Ennis replies giving Jack a slight push knocking him down on the bed.

"Now let's get to bed, huh?" Ennis says as he places a soft, gentle touch to Jack's forehead.

"Sure thing," Jack whispers grabbing Ennis's hand before sliding to Ennis's side and closing his eyes.

"We do have our own happily-ever-after, Jack, we do!" Ennis whispers before closing his own eyes and drifting off to sleep.


	25. Chapter 20

EPILOGUE

Jack is looking through their new family album.

He sees a photo that was taken just a few weeks after they got Willard.

It was of Jack and Ennis standing side by side, Ennis with his hat tucked low on his head,

You could barely see his face but you'd have to be completely blind to miss his huge smile.

Little Willard standing in front holding Jack's hand.

Jack of course smiling, His hat off and the sun was shining beautifully in the backdrop of the mountians.

It was a wonderful photo, Ennis's favorite.

Jack had thought to frame it and put it up on their bedroom nightstand.

No-one could believe whenever they were in town together that Little Willard was really thiers.

How could anyone in this day and age agree to let two men! adopt a child.

Jack would just roll his eyes and smile charmly.

They would then just walk off with a grunt.

To be truthfully honest, They didn't even have to adopt him cause Little Willard was already theirs.

See Jack no-matter how painful it was to think on had gotten this women pregant, Some lady he had meet in a bar, He had been asked to dance with her.. Not wanted to seem rude he excepted but after a hour of dancing and drinking They were out in her car.

By the morning He couldn't remember what happened..Now mind you this was before Ennis & Jack were together or at-least living they were both every once and awhile going out on dates with women..But of course this was worse then just a date, He had gotten her pregant.

He was afraid that Ennis would hate him if He ever found out so He didn't tell him, By the time they got a house unbelievable as it was.. Ennis actually wanted that sweet life,

So many years he had waited and wanted it and here the time was, Ennis said yes..

Jack wouldn't ruin it by saying he got some stranger pregant..

He knew if he did that Ennis would leave him and probabely never return.. No matter how much it hurt knowing there was this child, His child out there He couldn't put his life with Ennis in danger.. He had to keep it secret.

When Ennis had brought up kids one night, Jack thought of the women that night in the bar, He thought about his child somewhere out there, He told Ennis the truth, The truth that he had kept secret.

Ennis was angry but after a few days, He had settled down..He wanted Jack to contact this girl and for Jack to meet his child,Be in his life.. If Jack didn't Ennis was gonna leave him.

So Jack tracked her down and found out that he had a son. Willard Twist Newsome.

She had agreed to come and visit Jack at his home.

The visit went well, Jack had asked if he could have Willard here every so often, She had then whispered "if you want you can keep him, I love him, He's my son but it has ruined my family, My relationship with my father the most,

Him having a unmarried daughter with a child.." She stops takes a breath and then starts speaking again.

"I would just like you to send letters and tell him about me every once in awhile so he doesn't think I forgot about him.. "

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing...

"Your his father, No-one can say he doesn't belong to you, To be here with you.. I'm gonna go now, I'll be back tomorrow morning"

Jack stood standing watching Willard with Ennis, They were painting a fence.

Wilard had loved it here and loved being with them but he missed his mother, After a few weeks though that changed.. They were a family, Willard didn't speak about his mother again not inless Jack brought it up.

A few months back they had gotten a surpise letter in the mail.

It was a letter from Miss Gabby.

She was alive and well, She just couldn't take living here anymore, She had drove and drove, She had found a little town in Maine that she liked, She felt alive here something she really didn't feel back at home, She was happy for the first time in a long time.

The letter goes on about how she had contacted her husband so she could see her children, He didn't allow it. It goes on more about how sad that made her and how much she missed them and if we ever saw them to hand them over this letter.

She then ends the letter saying that she meet a very special person, Their married and their happy very happy together.

And that's it, She does apologize for pushing Ennis that last day and goes on and says thank you for being her friends and she would love if she had us visit her.

"Well I'm glad she's doing good" Jack whispers to Ennis.

"Yep.."Ennis replies back.

" Let's go in huh, I think Williard needs something to eat" Jack catches Ennis with a kiss as soon as the words were out his month.

"I think I'm kinda hungry myself but not for food".

"Well That's gonna have to wait.. We have a child who needs food Huh" Ennis stats looking at Jack sternly.

"Alright..But later tonight your mine got it" Jack says.

"Sure Jack ...Sure" Ennis whispers while heading into the house.

The end.

Well... what do you think, I hope you've enjoyed reading this. :) Please leave some feedback.


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